09/2011 - Chief Executive of The Who Cares? Trust says adoption is not the only answer

29 September 2011
For immediate release

'The number of children in care in England rose in 2010/11 for the third year in a row and applications by local authorities to take children into care are at an all-time high. The care system is struggling to cope in the face of a nationwide shortage of foster carers and prospective adopters, combined with a continuing decline in the number of children’s homes. Local authorities were already struggling to cope financially and any further rise in numbers inevitably makes it harder for them to support children in care in the way that a good corporate parent should.

‘The almost exclusive focus in the national media following the publication of the latest DfE statistics has been on the declining number of adoptions, and particularly on adoptions of babies.  Where adoption is the right choice for a particular child, we welcome measures that minimise unnecessary delays in the adoption process.  However, we are concerned at the increasingly widespread and emotive use of phrases like ‘languishing in care’ to describe children in care who are not adopted; this does not reflect the wide variety of young people’s experiences of care, including those children for whom care is a positive experience leading to far better life outcomes than they would have experienced otherwise.  

‘For many children in care adoption may not be the right answer.  They may stay in the system for a short time, have complex needs or simply not wish to be adopted. Rather than adoption being promoted almost as a panacea, we would prefer to see more discussion of how to eliminate the hugely unjust postcode lottery experienced by children going into care. The national statistics are only part of the picture, because the huge variations between local authorities mean that children and families are subject to different approaches, receive different help and achieve very different outcomes depending on where they live. For example, in North East Lincolnshire 78% of children in care achieved five good GCSEs; in Northamptonshire only 12% reached the same standard.  Again, in Peterborough 27% of children coming out of the care system were adopted; in Croydon this was 2%.    

‘There is evidence of what makes a real difference to the experiences and outcomes of children in care and these things need to be put into practice and properly resourced.  More and better recruitment, training and support of foster carers and more high quality residential provision are crucial if we are to ensure that supply can meet demand in the care system.  Only by doing this can we provide the best possible placement for every child coming into care and help them achieve the outcomes they deserve.’

Natasha Finlayson
Chief Executive, The Who Cares? Trust

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Notes to editors

1.    The Who Cares? Trust is a UK-wide charity that works to improve the lives of children and young people in care. We do this by:
•    using our expertise and influence with government policy-makers
•    informing, empowering and supporting children and young people in care, through our magazines and other publications and through projects and campaigns which directly benefit them, and
•    producing information and support materials for foster carers and professionals as a means to improving the lives of children in care.
2.    For media enquiries please contact Jemma Roche on 0207 017 2788 or email jemma.roche@thewhocarestrust.org.uk

The Who Cares? Trust is a registered charity (No. 1010518). A Company limited by guarantee. Registered in London (No. 2700693). VAT Reg. No. 577853091
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