Peer demands more support for parents

A Conservative peer has promised to launch a “crusade” to improve the support offered to adoptive parents.

Baroness Morris of Bolton, shadow minister for children and families, told a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference last week that investing in support would save money in the long term by reducing social problems caused by placement breakdown.

She said the Adoption and Children Act 2002 had let down adoptive parents by guaranteeing them an assessment of need but no resultant support. “Parents looking after these children are those who least deserve to have their expectations dashed,” she added.

Adoptive parent Helen Oakwater told the Baaf Adoption and Fostering meeting that the right support could transform the lives of children but often only peer support was available from other adoptive parents. “We are families who have taken on incredibly difficult children and have saved the country millions,” she said.

Responding to a question about the recent criticism of social workers taking children into care, Morris said the status of the profession had to be improved. But there was also a need to tackle a public perception that “political correctness” dominated  decisions about matching adoptive parents with children.