Children in care face a three year wait to be homed with adoptive families in half of London boroughs, new figures suggest.
An “adoption map” of London, published today by the Department for Education, reveals marked differences in the time it takes for a child to be adopted in different areas of the capital.
In 18 of the 32 boroughs, including Southwark, Croydon and Islington, the wait can be up to three years. In six local authorities children can expect to be placed with an adoptive family in just over a year.
At least 48 children are currently waiting for a home in Southwark, while in Bromley, Enfield, Harrow and Brent 17 or fewer are waiting to be adopted.
Today’s figures indicate that that there are around 4,600 children in England waiting for an adoptive family.
Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson said:
“Too many children are waiting too long. I want to encourage everyone thinking about adopting to take the first steps to offering a child the love and stability that they so desperately need.”
The Department for Education recently launched a national information service for people considering adoption, called First4Adoption.
Earlier this year the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) called adoption maps “a gimmick not a solution”.
