The Adoption Barometer 2026

Adoption Barometer 2026 overview

Satisfaction with the adoption approvals process remains strong in all nations, with 88% agreeing that their social worker supported them well during the process.

Sadly, there is still evidence that many established adoptive families are struggling, with 41% saying they experienced severe challenges or reached crisis point during 2024. However, the number of respondents who said they experienced violence or aggression in the home, or who had a child leave the family home prematurely fell compared to last year.

Among adult adoptees, confidence in the services available for accessing records and tracing and reunion remains very low, although there is some evidence that those who have used these services most recently had better experiences than those who accessed them more than five years ago. Nevertheless, far too many adoptees really struggle to access records and lack support with tracing birth relatives.

“We need lifetime support for adoption. The impact that trauma has on adopted children and young people doesn’t just stop once we are adopted. We need lifetime support.” - Adopted young person, Northern Ireland

Early stages: approvals, matching, placement, adoption order

83% said that their training was useful and informative.

78% said that their introductions were handled well.

68% said that their child’s life journey materials were ‘adequate’ or ‘good’.

Established families: children 0-25 yrs, adopted before 2024

Teenagers and young adults 16-25yrs: adoptees and parents

11% of parents agreed that statutory services understand the needs of care-experienced young people.

77% of young people didn't feel that CAMHS made a positive difference.

83% of young people said they needed more support in school than their peers.

Adult adoptees 18+, adopted at any time from within the UK and internationally

71% said it was difficult to find out how to access their records.

67% agree that financial costs are a barrier to tracing and reunion.

86% do not feel that there is an appropriate range of adoptee-competent mental health support services

Our recommendations

A right to needs-led adoption support: A legal duty to provide needs-based specialist therapeutic support where identified as required.

Ring-fenced, permanent funding for specialist therapeutic support for adoptees of all ages.

Targeted support packages around key transitions including the move between primary and secondary school and the transition to adulthood.

Government funded peer support programmes for all adoptees and adopters.

Support for adult adoptees to access personal adoption records, connect with birth families, and get the health treatment they need.

Mandatory training for education and health professionals on trauma, care-experience and neurodevelopmental conditions such as FASD, to be able to meet the needs of adoptees.

The introduction of a legal definition of care experience which includes adoption and is applied across all relevant policymaking.

An adoptee reference forum in each of the UK nations to work with governments to ensure adoption policy is shaped and informed by lived experience.

Changes over eight years of the Adoption Barometer

The Adoption Barometer has been running for eight years and over that time we have seen many changes in adoption policy and practice, some of which have resulted in notable shifts in the data we have collected.