§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of adoption placements were terminated within the first year in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [143349]
§ Margaret HodgeIn the year ending 31 March 2002, 7 per cent. of placements for adoption ended without the making of an adoption order.
§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to reduce administrative delays in the system for placing children for adoption. [143363]
§ Margaret HodgeThe National Adoption Standards for England have set timescales to ensure that each looked after child has a plan for permanence agreed at the four month statutory review, and where adoption is the plan, timescales for finding an adoptive family.
The Adoption Register for England and Wales has been set up as a tool for helping to match children in need of adoption with approved adopters. It has been fully operational in England since April 2002 and in Wales since August 2002.
The Government are committed to supporting local adopter recruitment activity, and has developed an Adopter Recruitment Toolkit for adoption agencies. The Government continues to support national recruitment activity through National Adoption Week. The Government made a further £60,000 available to support National Adoption Week 2003 following a grant of £60,000 in 2002 and £50,000 in 2001.
Since 2001, adoption work in the county courts and above has been centralised in specialist Adoption Centres throughout England and Wales. The objective of specialist adoption centres is to improve the service for everyone involved in adoption by dealing with contested and uncontested cases quickly and efficiently in centres with specialist adoption judges and staff.
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§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many adoption placements have been completed in each local authority during each of the last five years. [143364]
§ Margaret HodgeThe table showing the number of looked after children adopted in each local authority in England, during the years ending 31 March 1998 to 2002, has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children are awaiting adoption in each local authority area. [143365]
§ Margaret HodgeThe table showing the number of looked after children in England recorded on the Adoption Register for England and Wales who are awaiting a match with prospective adoptive parents at 10 December 2003, has been placed in the Library.