Supporting adoption

Adoption in Scotland is to be further streamlined to cut down on the time children have to wait before becoming part of stable and loving families.

In a Parliamentary debate marking the first-ever Adoption Week, Childcare and Early Years Minister Mark McDonald announced that Scotland’s Adoption Register is now available online and that the ‘activity days’ where prospective adopters and children meet in an informal setting are to be continued following a successful pilot.

Mr McDonald said:

“I welcome the fact that the number of young people adopted from care has increased by 127 per cent since 2007 but we must not be complacent.

“The introduction of the Adoption Register in Scotland was a huge step forward in helping streamline the process and reduce the amount of time young people spend waiting for a permanent home.

“Today I am pleased to announce further improvements to the way the Register will help young people find a stable and loving family. By moving to a safe and secure online platform potential matches can be found faster and easier than ever, and for the first time, prospective adopters can look for matches directly.

“Activity days have also proven to be extremely successful in helping children and potential adoptive families get to know each other in a safe, fun and informal environment.

“Feedback is extremely positive and a substantial number of matches have been found already as a result of the initial three trial days held over the last year. That is why today I have announced that the Scottish Government will ensure they continue, with six future events to be delivered across the country.

“The improvements I have announced today are all geared towards ensuring more children benefit from a permanent and loving home. But at the heart of all of this is the adoptive families who provide love and support to young people who need it most, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the vital part they play in ensuring all of Scotland’s young people receive the best possible start in life.”

Scotland’s Adoption Register uses a secure online system called Link Maker.

Only authorised practitioners and adopters can access Link Maker’s systems. Authorisation is granted by individual adoption agencies following the normal adoption approval procedure.

Contact: Jenny Scott 0131 244 2939