Closed petition Revise current Care Order categories for adoption breakdowns.

Closed on 25 April 2018

Often adoption disruptions take place due to factors outside of the adopter’s control, such as previous trauma that the child has experienced and the lack of support that is available to adopters. Adoption disruptions rarely take place due to a lack of love or because the adopter is abusive.

In order for the local authority to gain parental responsibility of a child (whether from adopters or birth parents) they must evidence that the child is/ or likely to suffer significant harm due to either emotional, sexual, physical, neglect or mental abuse.

If an adoption disrupts due to no fault of the parents or child, this does not fall into any of the above categories of abuse yet the social worker must still pick one. Therefore the current system is unfit for purpose.