Adoption Barometer 2026: England 2025 brought upheaval for adoptive families as changes to the Adoption & Special Guardianship Support fund came into effect. Families with the highest support needs were less likely than in any previous year to have been offered enhanced adoption support, and satisfaction with support was lower than in 2024. Those at the start of their adoption journey continued to be largely positive, with 84% agreeing that their training was useful and informative. However, families further along the journey reported challenges. Although the rise in the number who are ‘facing severe challenges or at crisis point’ levelled off, fewer than ever were optimistic about their family’s future, and parents of older children had very low confidence in support services. Use the links below to find out how the policies and practices around adoption impacted the lives of adoptive families in England in 2025. Download a summary The early stages Prospective adopters undergoing any part of the approvals and matching process, who had a child come to live with them, or who obtained an adoption order during 2025. Established adoptive families Adoptive parents with one or more adopted children aged 0-25 whose adoption was finalised before 2025. Parents of teenagers and young adults Parents of adopted teenagers and young adults aged 13-25 Our recommendations Back to Adoption Barometer 2026 overview Manage Cookie Preferences