Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support cross-cultural fostering and adoptive placements.

The government is committed to encouraging stable families and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to foster or adopt. Cultural and ethnic background is one of a number of considerations that a local authority must consider when placing a child.

The Children Act 1989 and underpinning regulations state that a child can be placed with a carer that does not share their culture, religion, language or ethnicity as long as that placement is appropriate and able to meet the needs of the child. Children should be cared for in a way that recognises and respects their identity and carers should be given the training and support they need to fully support that child.

Since 2014, adoption agencies are no longer required to search for an ethnic match between potential adopters and children. The National Fostering Stocktake has explored a range of issues, including the recruitment and retention of foster carers, and making good placement decisions. The department plans to publish its report shortly.