Adoption register achieves just five matches in first year

Just five matches between children and potential adopters have
been made by the National Adoption Register in its first year of
operation, writes Katie Leason.

The department of health confirmed the figures, adding that the
five matches are currently awaiting confirmation from the relevant
adoption panels.
On 6 August this year the register held records on 1,983 children
and 1,737 potential adopters, and had identified 225 links for
children, which are currently being explored by agency social
workers to see if they could lead to matches.
The department of health said that it was satisfied the register
had made “considerable progress” in all three of its functions. The
functions are: to suggest links between children awaiting adoption
and potential adopters; encourage local and regional adoption
groups to come together to make links; and to build a database to
advise on best practice.
A spokesperson stressed that since the launch of the register in
August last year, a “catch-up process” had been underway, with
details of the existing pool of children and approved adopters
being entered onto the register.