Consultation display

Inquiry into adoption

Response to the consultation

Evidence submitted in response to this Consultation

Purpose of the consultation

The National Assembly for Wales’ Children and Young People Committee is undertaking an inquiry into adoption and is keen to examine the experiences and voice of those directly affected by the adoption process, including:

 

Prospective parents:

  • How effectively are prospective parents supported throughout the adoption process, particularly through the assessment and approval process?
  • What action is needed to encourage prospective parents to pursue adoption as a route?

 

Adoptive parents and families:

  • In terms of the support provided for adoptive families, what has been most important in helping to secure the permanence of adoptions and to help ensure the success of the placement?
  • What improvements could be made to the support given to adoptive parents?

 

Adopted children:

  • Do the current arrangements for adoption adequately reflect the rights of the child?
  • How effective is the support given to adopted children post adoption, particularly for children who have complex needs?

 

Professionals working with adopted children/ families:

  • What action is needed to ensure that delays in the adoption process can be kept to a minimum?
  • What action is needed to increase the number of successful outcomes once children are considered for adoption?
  • How effective has the Welsh Government been at monitoring adoptions and tracking the progress for the child and parents?
  • Do you have any specific examples of good practice in the delivery of adoption services, and/or examples of where action is needed to remove barriers to adoption?

 

The Committee hopes to hear from individuals with direct experience of the adoption process, as well as hear the views of professionals who are involved in supporting children and families throughout the process. In making its recommendations, the Committee will consider this evidence alongside the proposed changes to adoption services announced by the Welsh Government, including the creation of a single national adoption agency as well as the implications of the UK Government’s Family Justice Review.

 

Invitation to contribute to the inquiry

The Committee welcomes responses from both individuals and organisations. If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, please provide a brief description of the role of your organisation.

 

The Committee welcomes contributions in English or Welsh and will consider responses to the inquiry and hold oral evidence sessions during the spring term.

 

If you wish to submit evidence, please send an electronic copy of your submission to CYPCommittee@wales.gov.uk.

 

Disclosure of Information

It is normal practice for the National Assembly to publish evidence provided to a Committee. Consequently your response may appear in a report or in supplementary evidence to a report. The National Assembly will not publish information which it considers to be personal data.

 

In the event of a request for information submitted under UK legislation, it may be necessary to disclose the information that you provide. This may include information which has previously been removed by the National Assembly for publication purposes.

 

If you are providing any information, other than personal data, which you feel is not suitable for public disclosure, it is up to you to stipulate which parts should not be published and to provide a reasoned argument to support this. The National Assembly will take this into account when publishing information or responding to requests for information.

 

Supporting documents

Contact details

Should you wish to speak to someone regarding this consultation, please use the below contact details:

Children, Young People and Education Committee - Fourth Assembly
Welsh Parliament
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF99 1NA

Email: Contact@senedd.wales
Telephone: 0300 200 6565