Adoption support system 'failing' families as four in 10 reach crisis point, report warns

Four in 10 adoptive families across the UK are facing severe challenges or are at crisis point, according to a major new report which warns that the adoption support system is failing to provide the long-term help many families need.

The latest Adoption Barometer, published by Adoption UK, found growing concerns about the availability and effectiveness of support services for adoptive families, particularly as children reach adolescence and adulthood.

Based on responses from almost 3,500 adopters and adoptees across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the report suggests that while the adoption process itself is generally viewed positively, many families struggle to access specialist support once adoption orders are made.

The research found that 40% of adoptive families reported facing severe challenges or being at crisis point, while families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were less optimistic about their future than in previous years.

Emily Frith, chief executive of Adoption UK, said: “This data shows that far too many adoptive families are reaching crisis point because they are not getting the support they need. Governments across all four nations have committed to lifelong support for adoptees, yet this research reveals a stark gap between promise and reality.

“Support too often falls away during adolescence and adulthood, with devastating consequences. Adoption UK is calling on governments and agencies across the UK to introduce a duty to provide needs-led support, ensuring adoptees can access the help they need, when they need it.”

While 88% of new adoptive parents said their social worker understood and supported them during the approvals process, the report found that support often diminishes over time.

Across England and Northern Ireland, families with the highest levels of need were less likely to receive enhanced support than in previous years. More than four in 10 said they had been offered only generic support or signposting to other services, while 44% did not believe the support they received had made a positive difference to their family.

The findings also raise concerns about the impact of changes to England's Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). According to the report, reductions to the fund introduced in early 2025 negatively affected access to therapeutic support for more than half of families, with those experiencing the greatest levels of need among the most affected.

The report highlights ongoing challenges for adopted young people. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of adopted 16 to 25-year-olds said they struggled at school and viewed the experience negatively overall. Meanwhile, 29% were not in education, employment or training, more than double the rate seen among their peers in most parts of the UK.

Mental health support was identified as a particular concern. Among adopted young people aged 16 to 25 who had accessed Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), more than three-quarters said the service had not made a positive difference. Many reported that professionals did not understand the impact adoption had on their lives.

The report also points to continuing gaps in support for adult adoptees. Only around a quarter said they could access an appropriate range of adoption-competent mental health services, while two-thirds identified the cost of tracing birth relatives as a barrier to reconnecting with family members.

In response, Adoption UK is calling for a legal right to lifelong, needs-led support for adoptees and adoptive families, alongside a package of measures specifically aimed at supporting adult adoptees. The organisation is also urging governments across the UK to establish adoptee reference forums to ensure adoptees of all ages have a direct role in shaping policies that affect their lives.

The charity argues that without sustained investment in specialist support, more adoptive families will continue to reach crisis point despite longstanding commitments from governments across the UK to recognise adoption as a lifelong experience rather than a one-off intervention.