Adoption charity welcomes manifesto commitments; strives to improve health, education and social care

Adoption UK says there is a way forward for the next government to give adoptees lifelong support

In a week where the manifestos of most of the main political parties for the 4th were published^th In July’s general election, a UK adoption charity is calling on the next government to commit to a better deal on education, social care and health for adoptees.

Adoption UK has campaigned for political parties to formally recognize the vital role that modern adoption plays, alongside other forms of permanency, for children who cannot live with their birth families and commit to lifelong support adoptees.

Adoption UK Chief Executive Emily Frith said: “It is encouraging that all parties have formally recognized the vital importance of providing permanent families for children who cannot grow up with their birth parents. The challenge for the next government is to make significant changes to the social care, education and health systems to ensure lifelong support for adoptees, and we will press them to do this.”

The Conservative manifesto includes a pledge to “help children grow up in loving foster families where this is a better option”, while Labor pledges to work with local government to “support children in care, including through kinship, fostering and adoption “.

The Liberal Democrats have set out a commitment to make the care experience a protected characteristic; and to better support children in kinship care.

The Green Party promised that elected Greens would “push for children in foster care or who have been adopted to have constant access to a trained counselor until it is no longer necessary”.

Adoption from the UK Breaking Barriers report earlier this year found that up to half of children who are adopted or in kinship care miss school or fail to attend lessons, not because of a lack of motivation or poor parenting, but because of school systems and approaches that does not meet their needs. The Liberal Democrats are committed to understanding and removing barriers to school attendance. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats say they will introduce a register of out-of-school children. Adoption UK is calling for more support to help experienced children and others who have suffered trauma to go to school and enjoy learning while there.

The manifestos published this week included proposals to transform the current education system, including curriculum reviews, changes to teacher training, improvements to special educational needs and improved post-16 provision. According to Adoption UK, the majority (79%) of adopted children usually feel confused and anxious at school. Last year, almost a third (29%) of adopted young adults were not in education, employment or training (NEET) at the end of 2023, compared to a national average of 12%. The Adoption UK Manifesto calls on political parties to commit to training education professionals in the needs of children and young people with care experience, including trauma and attachment.

Three of the main political parties have pledged to ensure access to mental health support in every school, as well as access to mental health support through Young Futures Hubs (Labour), Early Support Hubs (Conservatives) and mental health walk-ins . support centers for children and young people (Liberal Democrats).

Adoption UK research shows that last year in England alone, almost a quarter (23%) of adopted children were known to have harmed themselves or attempted to do so. Just over half of 16-25 year olds accessed or attempted to access mental health services in 2023. As well as better mental health support, Adoption UK is calling for a permanent fund for specialist therapeutic support for adopted and related children.

The Lib Dems are committed to extending parental leave and pay rights, including for the self-employed and adopters. Labor promises a more general review of parental leave and first-year pay.

Adoption UK has been campaigning in recent years for the government to equalize pay and leave entitlements for self-employed adopters who are currently not eligible for Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) because they are not employed or the equivalent of statutory maternity pay (SMA). available to self-employed birth parents – negatively impacting the time they can spend bonding with their children in the vital first months of foster care.

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