Written Question · S6W-19325 · Session 6
In light of the recommendations in the Adoption UK report, The Adoption Barometer: A stocktake of adoption in the UK, which was published i…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations in the Adoption UK report, The Adoption Barometer: A stocktake of adoption in the UK, which was published in May 2023, whether it has any plans to improve diversity amongst adoption and matching panels.
The answer
Under the Adoption Agencies Regulations (Scotland) 2009, each local authority or adoption agency which is carrying out functions such as the assessment of prospective adopters must appoint an adoption panel.
The Scottish Government’s 2011 Guidance on the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 and the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 sets out that the adoption panel should reflect the community from which children and families may come, as adopters are wide ranging and panels need to be informed and sensitive to issues around ethnicity, beliefs, sexuality and lifestyles.
The Scottish Government’s 2011 Guidance on the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 and the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 sets out that the adoption panel should reflect the community from which children and families may come, as adopters are wide ranging and panels need to be informed and sensitive to issues around ethnicity, beliefs, sexuality and lifestyles.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S6W-19325 by reference.