House of Commons · Adjournment Debate
17 November 2022 · 2 other contributors
Opened by Chi Onwurah Lab Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Chi Onwurah raised concerns about adoption: support for birth families in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The MP raised concerns about the adoption process, highlighting its impact on birth parents who are often in challenging circumstances. She commended a local charity, Families in Care, for providing crucial support to these parents and discussed the need for more robust data collection on this issue. The MP also called for greater Government support for such charities and better policies to ensure that all involved parties uphold child-centric principles during adoption.
Emphasised the importance of support for birth parents throughout the care process.
Asked about the expansion of peer-to-peer mentoring services and data collection on adoption trends.
Government Response
The Minister acknowledged the importance of supporting birth parents and adopted children, highlighting existing legal frameworks and policies. She noted that local authorities have a duty to prefer family and friends' care over adoption unless necessary. The response included discussions on legal representation for birth parents, counselling services offered by agencies, and the establishment of regional adoption agency leaders with a focus on improving contact services between birth parents and adopted children. The Minister also mentioned ongoing work on early family help systems and the court process reforms to make them less adversarial.