Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support parents with the adoption process.

​​The government is funding Adoption England with £8.8 million this year to improve adoption services. Adoption England has published national standards for the adopter journey which covers all stages of the approval process from initial contact, through to assessment, approval and matching. A key feature of the standards is that prospective adopters feel welcomed and supported throughout the process. This includes opportunities to meet existing adopters and others going through the approval process. Adoption England regularly undertake mystery shopping exercises to ensure the advice and support adopters receive is consistent and high-quality across the country.

Adoption agencies agree a support plan with prospective adopters when they have been matched with children which evolves over time as the child grows and develops.