Councils to be required to give updates on adoption

Wednesday 26th October 2011

 

Local authorities will be ordered to give updates on the numbers of children placed for adoption in a new drive to be launched imminently by David Cameron.

Under proposals, social workers would be set strict six-month deadlines to finalise adoption proceedings for children, with poorly performing councils ‘named and shamed’.

![David Cameron picture minister]1Mr Cameron has pledged a new focus on the 65,000 children in care.

The average time between a child being taken into care and successfully placed for adoption is two years and seven months.

In his conference speech earlier this month, David Cameron announced a ‘new focus on the 65,000 children in care’.

Pledging to ‘end this scandal’, the prime minister cited figures showing only 60 out of 3,660 children in care under the age of one were adopted last year.

Subject to consultation, extra money would also be given through the pupil premium to support children who spend time in care at both school and university.