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New Scotland’s Adoption Register website launched.

Vulnerable children are finding adoptive families faster thanks to an improved system for matching prospective parents with youngsters from across Scotland.

The new improved website for Scotland’s Adoption Register, which is run by the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, was launched yesterday.

The innovations to the site will help to involve prospective adopters and social workers more directly in the process of finding families for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.

The website will build on the progress the register has already had in matching children and prospective adopters. The number of referrals to the register is continuing to grow – and more importantly the number of confirmed matches is increasing at an accelerating pace. The milestone of 150 matches made was passed in January. By sharing information more effectively the website will make an important contribution to the process of quickly finding the right match for the children who need adoptive families.

Robin Duncan, Scotland’s Adoption Register Manager said:

“There are frustrations about how long the adoption process can take and of how difficult it can be to find families for all the children who need them, but we are very excited by the opportunities the re-launched website brings and the innovations to the Scottish Register will help speed up the matching process to find families for all the children who need them.”

Fiona McLeod, Acting Minister for Children, said: “These improvements to the new website reflect the growing success Scotland’s Adoption Register has had in finding secure, stable and loving homes for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.

“The website will arm prospective parents with the information and advice they need to go forward. It is also a great practical resource for social workers who are key in helping to make placements between children who are suitable for adoption and prospective adopters in Scotland.

“When you are dealing with something as deeply personal and life-changing, it is so vitally important to have the necessary information available and in a format as straight forward as possible. This website will enable this to happen as well as assist social workers to provide all the necessary support required.”

Notes To Editors

For more information or to arrange for an interview please call BAAF press office on 020 7421 2633 or email press@baaf.org.uk. For out of hours enquiries, call the press office mobile on 07767 444 589.

BAAF is the UK’s leading charity for children separated from their birth families. We provide services to meet the needs of some of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people. BAAF Scotland was awarded ‘Excellent ’ by The Care Inspectorate across all categorise. In 2014/15 BAAF helped find families for over 1,000 children across the UK through our family finding services. For more information visit teh BAAF website or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 has placed Scotland’s Adoption Register on a statutory footing. This means every adoption agency in Scotland must use the Register, and must refer both children and approved adopters within a timescale to be specified in Regulations.