NEWCASTLE North MP Catherine McKinnell today warned that the government’s shake-up of adoption laws must give top priority to placing children in happy homes.

 The shadow children’s minister broadly welcomed moves to speed up the process and boost the number of successful adoptions.  But she said that the focus must remain on the security of youngsters.

 The government’s new commitment to set up a new adoption panel and streamline the “painfully slow” process follows complaints that too many suitable adoptive parents are turned down while more children remain in care or foster homes.  That is particularly true in the North East where “lifestyle issues” such as a parent smoking can block adoption applications.

 Ms McKinnell said: “I welcome the Government’s apparent commitment to increasing the number of adoptions that take place and speeding up the process.

 “Those choosing to give a loving home to a vulnerable child should be given every encouragement and support.

 “Placing children for adoption is a complicated process. The government must focus on increasing successful adoption places, and not just on speed and boosting numbers.

 “Breakdown of an adoption placement is one of the most traumatic things that can happen to a child,  and local authorities are clearly reluctant to take that risk.”

She added: “Successful adoptions also depend on there being long-term support for adoptive families. Some of these children have specific needs, that may only come to light in their teens.

 “Families who take on the responsibility for children coming out of the care system should have every support available to them to ensure the best for them and their adopted child.”

 Figures released earlier this year showed that of 3,660 babies under the age of one who were in care in England, only 60 were adopted.

 Children’s minister Tim Loughton said: “The assessment process for people wanting to adopt is painfully slow, repetitive and ineffective. Dedicated social workers are spending too long filling out forms instead of making sound, common sense judgements about someone’s suitability to adopt.”