The Scottish Government

Next »

Listen

Media and Communications Group
Statistics Publication Notice
ADOPTION APPLICATIONS IN SCOTLAND - 2002

18 March 2003

A Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication

This document is also available in pdf format (140k)

Statistics on the number of adoption and freeing order applications in Scotland for the year 2002 have been published today by the Scottish Executive.

The main points are as follows:

• There were 360 adoption applications for which an outcome was reached in 2002. This was 14 per cent lower than in 2001 when there were 418 applications. Of these, 228 were adoptions by a person who was no relation to the child in 2002, compared to 241 in 2001 (a fall of 5 per cent). This decline in the number of adoption applications is part of a longer-term trend - the number has fallen steadily from 1,081 in 1983 to 360 in 2002.
• The number of adoptions from overseas accounted for under 2 per cent of all adoptions in 2002, which was broadly similar to previous years.
• Between 1983 and 2002, the percentage of adoption applications which were for children under the age of one fell from 26 per cent to 7 per cent. The percentage that were for children aged 1-4 rose from 20 per cent to 36 per cent over the same period. The percentage of adoption applications in 2002 for children aged 5-11 and 12-17 was similar to the 1983 figures, at 39 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively. The average age of children at the time of application was just over six and a half years in 2002, similar to the last three years.
• 44 per cent of the applications in 2002 were made through Local Authority adoption agencies, which is the same as in 2001. Applications made without an agency (normally by step parents) fell from 46 per cent in 2001 to 43 per cent in 2002 while applications made via a voluntary agency increased from 9 per cent to 13 per cent.
• In 2002, 98 per cent of applications were granted. This follows the pattern of recent years when at least 95 per cent of adoption applications have been granted.
• In 63 per cent of cases, both adopters were unrelated to the child, while most of the remainder involved the natural mother and step-father.
• In 2002, 67 per cent of adoption applications reached an outcome in under 120 days, compared to 70 per cent in 2001. The proportion of cases reaching an outcome in under 60 days fell from 30 per cent in 2001 to 25 per cent in 2002, while the proportion taking between 120 and 180 days rose from 17 per cent to 20 per cent and the proportion taking over 180 days remained the same at 13 per cent.
• The number of applications for the making of freeing orders had fallen by 14 per cent from 111 in 2001 to 96 in 2002. The percentage of freeing orders granted had also fallen from 91 per cent in 2001 to 75 per cent in 2002, mainly due to an increase in the number of applications being withdrawn.

TABLES (also available on the website)

Table 1 Adoption applications by gender, 1983 to 2002
Table 2 Adoption applications by age group, 1983 to 2002
Table 3 Adoption applications by agency used, 1998 to 2002
Table 4 Adoption applications by outcome, 1998 to 2002
Table 5 Adoption applications by relationship of adopters, 2002
Table 6 Number of days between adoption application and outcome, 1998-2002
Table 7 Applications for freeing orders by outcome, 1998 to 2002

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

1. 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. Adoption applications are also considered by the Court of Session.

2. 'Freeing for adoption' was first introduced in the Children Act 1975. When a child is 'freed', birth parents lose their responsibilities for the child.

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

4. There is no bulletin publication for these figures. Supporting tables are, however, available on request. This Statistics Publication Notice and the supporting tables are available on the Scottish Executive web site at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00243-00.asp.

5. 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.

6. Public enquiries (non-media) about the information contained in this Statistics Publication Notice should be addressed to Kamal Ibrahim, Scottish Executive Education Department, Area 1-A, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ (telephone 0131-244-0299 or e-mail children.statistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk).

Contact: Rona Dunbar 0131-244-2670
18 March 2002

Next »