A new national report from Adoption England and Coram has warned that, by 2030, there may only be enough approved adoptive families for 13% of children needing a permanent home in England, if registrations decline further.
In the North East alone, the number of children needing adoption has increased by 43% since 2021/22.
However, the report also shows that if adopter registrations returned to the levels achieved just a few years ago, permanent homes could be found for nearly 1,000 more children in England by 2030.
Adopt North East is now backing a campaign from You Can Adopt, urging more people to come forward and consider adoption to help turn the tide.
Right now, there are more than 200 children in the North East in need of adoption. If adoption rates continue to decline, there are serious concerns that even more children could spend more time without a permanent family in the years ahead.
With adopter registrations in the North East having fallen by 33% in the past five years, Adopt North East is encouraging more people to come forward and consider adoption to help ensure children can find the loving, permanent families they need.
Data shows that local children in need of adoption spend an average of 293 days without a permanent home, after a plan for adoption is made for them. For children, these delays are not just numbers on a page. They are critical days of childhood, valuable days that could have been spent with the stability, security and sense of belonging that a permanent family can provide.
To highlight the impact of these delays, Adopt North East is backing a new You Can Adopt campaign, Every Day is Everything, demonstrating how these outcomes can be changed if more prospective adopters take the first step in their adoption journey. The campaign celebrates the everyday moments that make up family life, from the morning rush and mealtimes to bedtime chats and everything in-between. While these moments may seem simple, for a child who has experienced instability, having someone there every day can mean everything.
Nik Flavell, Head of service Adopt North East, said: "These findings should be a wake-up call for all of us. Every child deserves the chance to grow up in a safe, loving and permanent family, but with the number of people coming forward to adopt continuing to fall, we risk more children facing longer waits for the stability they need.
"Many people rule themselves out of adoption before even having a conversation with us because they think they need to fit a particular mold. The reality is that adoptive families come in all shapes and sizes. What matters most is your ability to provide a loving, stable and nurturing home.
"We would encourage anyone who has ever thought about adoption, even briefly, to get in touch and find out more. You do not need to have all the answers at the start of your journey. With the right support, you could make an extraordinary difference to a child's life and help ensure that every day really is everything."
There is a family out there for every child needing adoption – but they are yet to come forward. The campaign aims to reassure potential adopters that they do not need to have everything perfectly in place before exploring adoption and that support is available throughout the process and beyond. Some of the biggest barriers people face are concerns that they need to own their home, fit the traditional idea of an adoptive parent, or have everything figured out before coming forward. In reality, adoption agencies are looking for people who can provide a safe, stable and loving home.
Sarah Johal MBE, National Adoption Strategic Lead at Adoption England, said: “With the right support and encouragement, we need more people to take that first step and help improve outcomes for children. And that first step is simply a call with a local adoption agency to find out more. We want to reassure prospective adopters that adoption is not about being perfect, it is about being there every day, for the everyday moments. Because for a child in need of adoption, every day is everything.”
For more information about adopting in the North East, please visit adoptnortheast.org.uk. If you are considering adoption, the friendly, expert Adopt North East team will provide you with all the support you need every step of the way.
Learn more about the latest You Can Adopt campaign at youcanadopt.co.uk.