Freedom of information response

Adoption Statistics

Publication date: 
Friday 9 August 2024
Request: 

1. The number of transracial adoption placements by your local authority in the financial year 2023/24.

2. The percentage of white children in care placed for adoption in the financial year 2023/24 and the percentage of black children in care placed for adoption in the financial year 2023/24, by your local authority.

3. The percentage of white children in care that you have currently with an adoption plan and the percentage of black that you have children in care currently with an adoption plan.

4. The average amount of time in your Local Authority that white children in care with an adoption plan have been waiting for a placement and average amount of time that black children in care with an adoption plan have been waiting for placement.

5. Do you have a policy for requiring an ethnic match for adoption placement? If not, do you have a policy for preference for an ethnic match for adoption placement? Do you have a policy for preference for an ethnic match for adoption placement even if this results in a delay. Please provide a copy of your policy.

Response: 

1. The number of transracial adoption placements by your local authority in the financial year 2023/24.

Fewer than 5

2. The percentage of white children in care placed for adoption in the financial year 2023/24 and the percentage of black children in care placed for adoption in the financial year 2023/24, by your local authority.

88.9% White

11.1% Mixed/Dual Background

3. The percentage of white children in care that you have currently with an adoption plan and the percentage of black that you have children in care currently with an adoption plan.

Of the children with a current Placement Order but no matched adoptive family:

100% White

4. The average amount of time in your Local Authority that white children in care with an adoption plan have been waiting for a placement and average amount of time that black children in care with an adoption plan have been waiting for placement.

There are no children from a Black background currently with a Placement Order waiting for an adoptive placement.

Average time waiting for placement white children: 124 days

5. Do you have a policy for requiring an ethnic match for adoption placement? If not, do you have a policy for preference for an ethnic match for adoption placement? Do you have a policy for preference for an ethnic match for adoption placement even if this results in a delay. Please provide a copy of your policy.

No policy

We are unable to provide an exact number for question 1 above as: 

  • There is a low number involved. 
  • The release of this information could identify individuals which would constitute their personal data under the Data Protection Act  
  • There is no prior expectation on the part of these individuals that their personal information would be published in the wider public domain under the FOI Act 
  • Personal data of any other person is exempt under section 40 (2) of the Data Protection Act. 

However in the interests of transparency we are able to provide this information to you categorised as fewer than 5 to give you an indication of the figures 

Request reference:
FOI 14034