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Four in ten adoptive families across the UK are facing severe challenges or are at crisis point, according to new research published by Adoption UK, which has renewed calls for a legal right to lifelong, needs-led adoption support.
The findings are contained in the organisation's Adoption Barometer 2026, an annual survey based on responses from almost 3,500 adopters and adoptees across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The report suggests that while many families have positive experiences during the adoption process itself, support frequently diminishes once adoption orders are made, leaving some families struggling to access appropriate help.
According to the report, 40% of adoptive families described themselves as facing severe difficulties or being at crisis point. The research also found that families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are less optimistic about their future than in previous years.
Adoption UK argues that the findings expose a significant gap between governments' recognition of the lifelong impact of adoption and the support available in practice. The charity is calling on governments and agencies across the UK to introduce a statutory duty to provide needs-led support throughout an adoptee's life.
Emily Frith, Chief Executive of Adoption UK, said the findings demonstrated that too many families were reaching crisis point because they were unable to access appropriate support. She warned that support often falls away during adolescence and adulthood despite continuing needs.
The report found that satisfaction with the adoption approval process remains high. Across the UK, 88% of newly approved adopters said their social worker understood and supported them during the assessment and approval process. However, difficulties appeared to increase as children grew older and families sought ongoing therapeutic, educational and mental health support.
Particular concerns were identified in England and Northern Ireland, where families reporting the highest levels of need were less likely than previously to receive enhanced support. Across the UK, 41% of families with significant support needs said they had been offered only generic support or signposting to other services. Additionally, 44% did not agree that the support they received had made a positive difference to their family.
In England, the report highlights the impact of changes made to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) during 2025. More than half of respondents reported that reductions to the fund had negatively affected their ability to access therapeutic support, with the greatest impact reported among families with the highest levels of need.
The report also raises concerns about outcomes for adopted young people. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of adopted young people aged 16 to 25 described their school experience as negative and reported struggling during their education. Meanwhile, 29% were not in education, employment or training, a figure significantly higher than national averages across most parts of the UK.
Mental health support emerged as a particular area of concern. Among adopted young people aged 16 to 25 who had accessed Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), more than three-quarters reported that the service had not made a positive difference. Many respondents felt that professionals lacked an understanding of the impact adoption had on their experiences and mental health needs.
The survey also identified continuing challenges for adult adoptees. Respondents reported difficulties accessing adoption records, tracing birth relatives and obtaining specialist mental health support. Only around a quarter of adult adoptees said suitable adoption-competent mental health services were available to them, while two-thirds identified the financial costs associated with tracing birth relatives as a barrier to family reconnection.
In addition to a legal right to lifelong support, Adoption UK is calling for the establishment of adoptee reference forums in each UK nation. The charity argues that adoptees of all ages should have a greater role in shaping policies and services that affect them.
The report concludes that while adoption continues to provide stability and permanence for many children, long-term outcomes are being undermined by inconsistent access to support, particularly during adolescence and adulthood.
