The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Adoption application statistics 2001

13/06/2002

Statistics on the number of adoption and "freeing" order applications in Scotland for the year 2001 have been published today by the Executive.

The main points of the National Statistics Publication are:

• There were just under 420 adoption applications for which an outcome was reached in 2001. This was slightly higher than in 2000 when there were 405 applications.

• The number of adoptions from overseas accounted for under 2 per cent of all adoptions in 2001, down from 4 per cent in 2000 but broadly similar to previous years.

• 44 per cent of applications were for children aged under five at the time of application, which is the same as in 2000. The average age of children at the time of application has fallen in the last few years and was just under six and a half years old in 2001.

• Applications made through Local Authority adoption agencies increased from 37 per cent in 2000 to 44 per cent in 2001. Applications made without an agency fell from 52 per cent in 2000 to 46 per cent in 2001 while applications made via a voluntary agency fell from 12 per cent to 9 per cent.

• In 2001, over 99 per cent of applications were granted. This follows the trend of recent years when at least 95 per cent of adoption applications have been granted.

• In almost 60 per cent of cases, both adopters were unrelated to the child, while most of the remainder involved the natural mother and step-father.

• In 2001, 70 percent of adoption applications reached an outcome in under 120 days. Between 1997 and 2001 the number of cases reaching an outcome in under 60 days had risen from 20 per cent to 30 per cent and the number taking over 180 days had fallen from 22 per cent to 13 per cent.

• The number of applications for the making of freeing orders had fallen slightly from 116 in 2000 to 111 in 2001. The percentage of freeing orders granted had also fallen from 97 per cent in 2000 to 91 per cent in 2001.

Adoption applications are made to Sheriff Courts. The prospective adopters may or may not be related to the child concerned, and their application may be made through the local authority or via a voluntary agency. If they are related to the child they may also apply without using an agency. The application can have various outcomes - it may be withdrawn before the court hearing, it may be granted, it may be refused or the court may make a provisional or alternative order.

'Freeing for adoption' was first introduced in the Children Act 1975. When a child is 'freed', birth parents lose their responsibilities for the child and are not involved in any subsequent adoption proceedings.

The 49 Sheriff Courts supply the Executive with data on adoption applications and applications for freeing orders. The data provided do not identify individual children.

This is a National Statistics publication. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this News Release should be addressed to Angus MacDonald, Scottish Executive Education Department, Area 1-A, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ (telephone 0131 244 3745 or e-mail Angus.MacDonald@scotland.gsi.gov.uk).