Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is provided to birth parents going through the adoption process.

The Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 set out what support adoption agencies must offer birth parents. This includes counselling and information about the implications of adoption and an assessment of birth parents’ support needs, if they request this. Agencies must also discuss future contact so that this can be considered by the court on any application for a placement or adoption order, and must also ask about birth parents’ wishes regarding the religion and culture of their child should the child go to live with adopters.

Regional Adoption Agency leaders have recently set up a Birth Parent Reference Group, which meets regularly to ensure that the voices of birth families are being heard and considered in the development of adoption services nationally.