💔 Adoption Breakdown

Commons Chamber

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In a heartfelt parliamentary debate, Tom Gordon highlighted the crisis of adoption breakdowns in the UK, stressing that many adoptive families feel isolated and unsupported after the adoption order is signed. He shared distressing stories from families facing these challenges, calling for urgent reforms and better post-adoption support to prevent such breakdowns. The Minister for Children, Janet Daby, acknowledged the issue and outlined government plans to improve data collection, fund new research, and enhance support services to better assist adoptive families. The debate underscored the need for a cultural shift towards providing continuous, specialist support for adopted children and their families.

Summary

  • Adoption Breakdown Crisis: Tom Gordon highlighted the crisis of adopted children leaving their adoptive homes prematurely, emphasizing the lack of support for families post-adoption.

  • Challenges Faced by Adoptive Families: Adoptive parents often feel isolated and struggle to manage the complex needs of children with trauma, leading to adoption breakdowns. Many children have significant social, emotional, and mental health needs.

  • Need for Better Data: There is a lack of reliable data on adoption breakdowns, making it difficult to assess the effectiveness of current policies and plan improvements. The most recent government data is outdated, and local authorities inconsistently record information.

  • Post-Adoption Support: Support often diminishes after the adoption order is signed, leaving families to navigate challenges without sufficient help. This includes barriers to special educational needs, disability services, and mental health support.

  • Impact of Adoption Breakdown: Breakdowns cause significant emotional trauma for both children and adoptive parents. There is a need for better support systems to prevent breakdowns and assist families when they occur.

  • Government Response: The Minister for Children, Janet Daby, acknowledged the need for improved post-adoption support and mentioned ongoing efforts to enhance data collection and research. The government is funding new research and initiatives to provide better support to adoptive families.

  • Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund: The fund, which has supported nearly 53,000 children since 2015, will continue with a £50 million budget this year. It provides therapeutic support to help prevent adoption breakdowns.

  • Educational Support for Adopted Children: Adopted children often face educational challenges, with poorer GCSE results and higher exclusion rates. The government is working to update guidance and support for virtual school heads to improve educational outcomes for these children.

  • Call for Action: There is a call for urgent and meaningful reforms to mental health services, access to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, and a robust framework for post-adoptive care to prevent adoption breakdowns and support families effectively.

Divisiveness

The parliamentary session on adoption breakdown displayed a low level of disagreement, warranting a rating of 1. Throughout the session, there was a consistent and unified call for improved support for adoptive families, with all participants expressing concern over the current state of post-adoption services and advocating for systemic changes. The primary focus was on highlighting the issues and proposing solutions rather than engaging in contentious debate.

Examples of the lack of disagreement include:

  1. Tom Gordon’s Opening Statement: He set the tone by emphasizing the need for sustained government support for adoptive families, a sentiment echoed by subsequent speakers without contradiction.

  2. Interventions by Other MPs: MPs such as Steve Darling, Liam Conlon, Sojan Joseph, Rachael Maskell, Josh Newbury, Shockat Adam, Chris Bloore, and Bobby Dean all supported Tom Gordon’s points, adding their own experiences and suggestions for improvement without challenging the core message.

  3. Minister Janet Daby’s Response: The Minister acknowledged the concerns raised and outlined the government’s plans to address them, including new research, funding, and support frameworks. She did not dispute the need for change but rather affirmed it, indicating a shared goal with the other MPs.

  4. Specific Points of Agreement: There was consensus on the need for better data collection, more trauma-informed training for professionals, increased funding for support services, and the importance of the adoption and special guardianship support fund. For instance, when Bobby Dean raised concerns about the fund’s renewal, Janet Daby expressed regret over the delay and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to it.

Overall, the session was characterized by a collaborative approach to addressing the crisis of adoption breakdown, with all participants aligned in their desire to improve the situation for adoptive families and children.