The government has pledged £16 million in additional funding for adoption charities.
The Department for Education will begin distributing the funds later this year, and continue until 2016, the BBC reports, in order to encourage innovation and allow the charities a greater involvement.
The money is the latest stage in a continuing government drive to encourage new people to adopt and speed up the adoption process, removing what ministers believes to be unnecessary barriers. The government has already set aside £50 million for children’s departments in local authorities.
Edward T impson is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Children’s Minister. He said:
“There are still over 4,000 children waiting to be adopted nationally, and we cannot stand by whilst children’s futures hang in the balance. This is why we are taking a closer look at how we are recruiting new parents by giving voluntary adoption agencies a bigger role.”
He added:
“We know more than 650,000 people would consider adopting right now, yet more than 700 additional adopters are needed each year to keep up with the growing number of children waiting to be adopted. What is important is that children who are in need of a permanent, loving home are found one as soon as possible – not who delivers the service.”
Alan Worsley of Barnados stressed the role of charities in placing children in need of stability.
“Voluntary adoption agencies such as Barnardo’s offer a critical service, often drawing on invaluable expertise and experience in finding families for those children who are not always top of the pile and wait the longest to be adopted.”
Carol Homden, meanwhile, is Chief Executive of children’s charity Coram.
She said:
“Finding families who can restore children’s trust in adults is a delicate and complex challenge so any added investment is to be welcomed.”
