The number of foster care households and of approved adoptions in Scotland has continued to decrease, according to a new report by the Care Inspectorate.
The report, Fostering and adoption 2023/24, published today, Tuesday 10 September, provides insight into the operation of fostering, adoption and continuing care services in Scotland over the past five years. At 31 December 2023, there were just over 11,000 care services registered with the Care Inspectorate, including 38 adoption and 58 fostering services provided by the local authority and the voluntary/not-for-profit sectors.
Jackie Irvine, Chief Executive of the Care Inspectorate, said: “All children need strong supports and steady, caring relationships to thrive. Fostering and adoption are two vital parts of the flexible scaffold of support that can help children build happy and healthy lives.
“All of us have a role in helping children in Scotland thrive. We hope that the insights in this report can play a part in improving and strengthening the supports which are in place for children and young people through adoption, fostering and continuing care services.”
Key points
Foster care in Scotland
The number of foster care households in Scotland continued to decrease.
- At 31 December 2023, there were 2,998 approved foster care households down 8.0% from 3,261 in 2022.
- There were fewer new households approved (178) than in any of the four preceding years.
The number of children and young people living in foster families continued to decrease.
- At 31 December 2023, there were 3,918 children and young people living in foster families, down from 4,162 the previous year.
- As with previous years, there were more children placed in interim placements (1,730) compared to permanent (1,117) or long-term (1,028).
- 256 children experienced an unplanned ending of their placement in 2023.
- Fostering services reported that 139 children seeking asylum and refuge began using their services during 2023, and on 31 December 2023 there were still 92 children seeking asylum and refuge using a fostering service.
Not all family groups of children are placed together.
- In 2023, similar to each of the previous four years, 21% of the family groups placed in foster care households were placed separately (some following assessment, others due to emergency situations and lack of resources).
- 79% of services said they had difficulties in 2023 recruiting households that will take family groups of children, the highest proportion recorded to date.
In 2023, 48 fostering services said they have a continuing care service.
- In 2023, there were in total 448 approved continuing care households up 4.7% from 428 in 2022 and higher than the four preceding years.
- In 2023, 448 young people were accommodated in a continuing care placement up 3.2% from 434 in 2022 and higher than the four preceding years.
Adoption in Scotland
The number of children and young people approved for adoption has continued the general downward trend.
- In 2023, there were 198 children approved for adoption, 17.5% fewer than the previous year.
- 174 children were placed with their new adoptive families (3.9% fewer than the previous year) and 178 children were legally adopted (7.8% fewer than the previous year).
The age profile of children approved for adoption continues to be stable.
- In 2023, 43% of children approved for adoption were in the two to five age bracket and 50% were infants, consistent with the previous year.
A small number of adoptions broke down in 2023, and this number continues to be variable from year to year.
- In 2023, 22 adoptions broke down, higher than the 12 in 2022, but lower than the 37 reported in 2021.
The number of adoptive households approved continued the downward trend.
- There were 199 new adoptive households approved in 2023, 37 less than in 2022.
The number of households waiting for a child to be placed decreased, returning to 2020 levels.
- In 2023, 189 households were waiting for a child to be placed.
- At the same time, there were 130 children approved for adoption and waiting to be matched to an adoptive household (the lowest number recorded over the past five years).
The full report can be read here.