Survey shows record numbers of adoptive families under ‘great strain’

Adoption UK’s seventh national adoption survey has been released suggesting that  today’s disjointed adoption system is not fit for purpose and needs a radical rethink.

According to the Adoption Barometer, more than three-quarters (77%) of adoptive parents say support is hard to find once their child has joined their family and, as the child gets older, challenges become more complex, serious and lasting.  Many adult adoptees are having to live with the significant consequences of poor support earlier in their lives and the ongoing impact of adoption as they get older, with support for adults almost non-existent.

The survey also found that nine out of 10 (90%) of adopted teenagers and young adults have sought help with their mental health, with only 29% feeling that support from CAMHS made a positive difference. Over a quarter (29%) of adoptees aged between 16 and 25-years-old are not in education or training which is more than double the national average. 

In response to the findings Adoption UK is calling for:

·         Robust support plans that are regularly reviewed, particularly at moments of major change, such as the move between primary and secondary school and the transition to adulthood

·         Training for health and education professionals from the start of their careers to equip them to understand and meet the needs of the adoptees they will be expected to support

·         Ring-fenced, permanent funding for well-evidenced therapeutic support for adoptees of all ages, combined with opportunities for adoptees to connect with each other for mutual support

·         Reliable support for adult adoptees to access personal adoption records, connect with birth families, and be able to access the health treatment they need even if their family medical history is unknown

See the full survey results here.