The adoption of looked after children in Northern Ireland 2005-06

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today published a statistical first release bulletin summarising information on children adopted from care in Northern Ireland during 2005-06.

The first release bulletin presents initial results from the AD1 survey of children adopted from care in Northern Ireland during 2005-06. This survey was completed by Health and Social Care Trusts during 2006-07, providing detailed information on children adopted from care and key dates in the adoption process. The main findings from the latest survey indicate an increase of 9 months in the average duration from last entry into care to final adoption, from 3 years 4 months in 2003, to 4 years 1 month in 2006, and a decrease in the number of children adopted from care, which fell from 109 in 2003, to 79 in 2004, to 56 in 2006.

The bulletin is available on-line at the DHSSPS website.

Summary

Some of the key findings included:

• Fifty-six children were adopted from care during the year ending 31 March 2006, just under 30% less than the number adopted in 2004 (79).
• The percentage of looked after children adopted from care fell from 3.2% in 2004 to 2.2% in 2006. In England, 6% of looked after children were adopted from care in 2006.
• The average age of children when adopted was 5 years 4 months (2006).
• From last entry into care, the average duration to adoption for children adopted in 2006, was 4 years 1 month. In 2004, the average was 3 years 10 months, and 3 years 4 months in 2003.
• The average duration from last admission into care to the Trust LAC best interest proposal for children adopted in 2006, was 1 year 4 months, and 1 year 8 months for children adopted in 2004.
• In 2006, on average it was 7 months from the Trust LAC best interest proposal to when the Trust accepted the adoption panels recommendation that adoption was in the best interest of the child.
• For children adopted in 2006, the average duration from the Trust LAC best interest proposal to adoption was 2 years 8 months, compared with 2 years 3 months in 2004.
• In 2006, 26 (46%) children were adopted by foster carers, less than half that in 2004 (54). For Wales in 2006, 15% of children adopted from care were adopted by former foster carers.
• Of the 26 children adopted by foster carers in 2006, 12 (46%) were placed for adoption within 12 months of the Trust best interest decision, and 14 (54%) were placed 12 months or longer after the best interest decision.
• The average age of children at the time of adoption by foster carers was 6 years 11 months, compared with 3 years 11 months for other adopted children.
• From last entry into care, the average duration to adoption for foster carer adoptions was 5 years 6 months, 2 years 9 months longer than for other adopted children (2 years 9 months).
• In 2006, 54% (30) of children adopted from care in Northern Ireland were placed for adoption within 12 months of the best interest decision, which is almost 25 percentage points lower than the equivalent figure for England (77%).

Notes to Editors:

1. Community Information Branch of the DHSSPS collected this information from Health and Social Services Community Trust personnel. The collection covers the information on children adopted from care in Northern Ireland during the year ending 31 March 2006.

Additional information

Further information and copies of the bulletin are available from:

DHSSPS

2. For further information please contact DHSSPS Information Office on 02890 520571, or out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.