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Written question asked by Lord Laming (Crossbench) on Monday, 1 December 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 December 2025. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Monday, 15 December 2025 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Adoption

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they intend to take in response to the estimate published by the BBC that during the last five years the adoption arrangements of more than 1,000 children have resulted in those children being returned to local authority care.

Answer

Providing support for families at an earlier stage, before needs escalate to crisis point, is critical and we are working with Adoption England to achieve this.

Adoption England are working with their local authority partner safeguarding teams to improve the support adopted families receive when they are in crisis. This includes developing a national protocol which can be used for all adoption support services teams in regional adoption agencies and local authority front door safeguarding services.

We have provided funding of £8.8 million to Adoption England to improve adoption services, including support to adoptive families This includes implementing a new framework for an early support core offer which covers the first 12 to 18 months after placement.

This financial year the department has also invested £50 million into the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund to ensure that adopted children can access therapeutic services which help stabilise placements and address complex needs.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL12510
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Adoption
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk