SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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ADOPTION APPLICATIONS IN SCOTLAND - 1999

News Release

26 April 2000
Prepared by the Government Statistical Service
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Statistics on the number of adoption applications in Scotland for 1999 have been published today by the Scottish Executive.

The main points are as follows:

• There were just over 450 adoption applications for which an outcome was reached in 1999. This was similar to the numbers reported for 1997 and 1998.
• 46 per cent of applications were for children aged between five and 11 years at the time of application. A further 37 per cent of applications related to children aged under five years old. The average child was just under seven years old.
• Just over half of all applications were made without using an agency, while applications made through a local authority accounted for 36 per cent of the total.
• In 1999, almost 440 applications were granted. This follows the trend of recent years when at least 95 per cent of adoption applications have been granted.
• Adoption applications involving a step-parent accounted for 45 per cent of the total. In a further 44 per cent of cases, both adopters were unrelated to the child.
• The number of applications for the making of freeing orders have risen from 48 in 1995 to 86 in 1999.

TABLES

Table 1 Adoption applications by gender, 1995 to 1999
Table 2 Adoption applications by age group, 1995 to 1999
Table 3 Adoption applications by agency used, 1995 to 1999
Table 4 Adoption applications by outcome, 1995 to 1999
Table 5 Adoption applications by relationship of adopters, 1999
Table 6 Applications for freeing orders by outcome, 1995 to 1999

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

1. Adoption application statistics are collected from the 48 Sheriff Courts in Scotland by the Scottish Executive Education Department.

2. The relevant tables can be accessed at www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/educ.htm. Media can also obtain these tables from David Gow on 0131-244-2952. There is no bulletin publication for these figures.

3. Non-media queries can be addressed to: Angus MacDonald, Scottish Executive Education Department, Education Statistics Division, Floor 1-A, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ (tel. 0131-244-3551) or by e-mail to angus.macdonald@scotland.gov.uk.

Table 1: Number of adoption applications by gender, 1995 to 1999

1 Year in which outcome of application occurred

Table 2: Number of adoption applications by age at time of application, 1995 to 1999

1 Year in which outcome of application occurred

Table 3: Number of adoption applications by type of agency used, 1995 to 1999

1 Year in which outcome of application occurred

Table 4: Number of adoption applications by outcome of application, 1995 to 1999

1 Year in which outcome of application occurred

Table 5: Number of adoption applications by relationship of adopters, 1999 ⁽¹⁾

1 Year in which outcome of application occurred

Table 6: Applications for the making of freeing orders by outcome, 1995 to 1999

1 Year in which outcome of application occurred

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