The national care standards for adoption agencies have been developed to ensure that the services they provide are of high quality. They provide comprehensive guidance on the expected duty of care and service that adoption agencies should provide throughout the adoption process.
This Scottish Government publication contains statistics on children who were looked after by or eligible for aftercare support from local authorities between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007.
In the UK, political initiatives have encouraged the greater use of adoption as a solution to the care of children who cannot live with their birth families. This drive for 'permanence' has been welcomed by many, but has also given rise to debate. Where children have lingered uncertainly and for too long in the care system, 'permanence' is clearly the top priority. But not all children need the same solution. They may be 'children who wait', but they may not be waiting specifically for adoption.