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The UK’s adoption system is failing to provide lifelong support for adopted people and their families, according to the latest Adoption Barometer survey. The report concludes the system is “not fit for purpose” and requires radical reform to meet the complex, ongoing needs of adoptees.
Now in its seventh year, the survey highlights persistent gaps in support once children are placed, despite adoption being intended as a stable alternative for children who cannot safely remain with their birth families.
77% of adoptive parents report that support is hard to find once a child has joined the family.
90% of adopted teenagers and young adults have sought help with mental health, but only 29% found CAMHS support effective.
29% of adoptees aged 16–25 are not in education, employment or training – more than double the national average.
Just 18% of adult adoptees say there is an appropriate range of counselling or therapeutic services, despite 71% having sought help.
60% of adult adoptees feel they lack sufficient information about their early lives and adoption.
64% of adoptive parents report experiencing violence in the home linked to children’s trauma-related difficulties in regulating emotions and behaviour.
CEO Emily Frith said:
“The system is still based on the fallacy that being adopted is the fairy-tale ending. But it is only the beginning of the story for children who have faced incredibly traumatic starts in life and who must grow up away from their birth families. Despite consistent evidence of the life-long challenges for adopted people, most families tell us that help evaporates as their child gets older, and adoptees say support is virtually non-existent in adulthood.”
Clinical psychologist and adoptee Dr Chris Tennyson added:
“Adoption touches every part of a person’s life – our identity, relationships, health and how we make sense of who we are. Improving support for adopted adults is not separate from helping today’s children. It is part of the same long-term solution. If we want adopted children to grow into thriving adults, we must start by listening to those who already have.”
The report criticises the government for reducing support through a 40% cut to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), despite 85% of families who accessed the fund reporting positive impact. The ASGSF has been confirmed for 2025–26, but with no clarity on funding levels.
In Northern Ireland, reforms promised under the Adoption and Children Act have not yet been implemented, while in Scotland the adoption vision statement is still awaiting delivery. Wales and Northern Ireland have begun work to improve access to records for adult adoptees, and support plan pilots are underway in parts of England.
The report calls for:
Robust support plans reviewed at key transition points, including adolescence and the move to adulthood.
Training for health and education professionals to understand the impact of early trauma.
Permanent, ring-fenced funding for therapeutic support across the lifespan.
National guidance on contact with birth families and adoptee reference groups to inform government policy.
Reliable support for adult adoptees to access personal records, connect with birth families and secure health treatment without reliance on family medical histories.
The authors argue that investing in lifelong support would improve outcomes for adoptees and save money in the long term by reducing demand on crisis services.
