Nadhim Zahawi, Member of Parliament for Stratford on Avon, has praised the Conservative-led Government’s adoption reforms as record figures mean more children can get a secure and loving start in life.
New figures released this week have shown that more than 5,000 children have been placed in loving, stable homes in the last 12 months – an increase of 26 per cent on the previous year. This includes 55 in Warwickshire.
Official figures from the Department for Education show that Conservative reforms are building a world-class adoption system, which places children with their new families more quickly.
The Conservative-led Government has:
- Made adoption easier, by stopping ethnicity being prioritised over other factors - like the ability to provide a stable, loving home.
- Made it easier for adoptive parents to foster a child first – so children can move in with their adoptive family much earlier.
- Forced councils to tell prospective adopters about their entitlements.
- Made extra school funding available for all children adopted from care.
Overall, adoptions have increased by 63 per cent in the last three years, from 3,100 in 2011 to 5,050 in 2014.
Nadhim commented: “It’s great news that the number of children adopted from care has risen to the highest level yet. That means more children in a secure and loving home, able to get a better start in life.
Conservatives in government have been quite right to take the common sense action needed to make adopting easier, for the benefit of children and parents.
In Warwickshire the number of children adopted has increased from 30 in 2010 to 55. That’s more local children benefitting from the love and support of being part of a family.”