Adoption in Cardiff

The way children in Cardiff are adopted looks set to change, as the Welsh Assembly Government announces plans to set up a single National Adoption Agency, and Michael Gove tells social workers to rule out race as a factor when placing children with families.

The Welsh Assembly Government has announced plans to set up a single National Adoption Agency, which would replace the 22 Local Authorities who deal with adoption in Wales.

The WAG claim the Agency would improve the rate of successful adoption.

A spokesperson for British Association for Adoption and Fostering Cymru spoke highly of the idea. "The central agency would create continuity in assessment for adoption, and would lead to better post-adoption support."

Today the Education Secretary Michael Gove announced new guidelines for social workers in England, warning them not to delay placing a child with a suitable family of a different ethnicity.

Until now, social workers have been eager to place children with families of the same background, meaning many children from ethnic minorities do not get adopted or are stuck on a waiting list.

A spokesperson for British Association for Adoption and Fostering Cymru said: "Although these announcements only relate to England, these things tend to have a domino effect.

"We would support these guidelines."

A spokesperson for Adoption UK said: "The number of people who come forward with the right mix of personal attitude and skills is limited. Any kind of blanket rule about who is or isn't suitable to adopt is therefore not a good idea. There needs to be flexibility."

According to Welsh Assembly Government statistics, 27 per cent of children adopted in Wales were born in countries outside the UK.

Chris Smith, 20, from Thornhill was adopted when he was five years old. "I find that being adopted I can pick and choose whoever I want to be close to. For that I feel privileged.

"The only constant I have had is my dog. I have a date of adoption certificate, which is the closest thing to a birth certificate. I am at least four or five months older than my official age.

"Being adopted has definitely shaped my life. If I had grown up with a stereotypical family background I think I would be more trusting and more talkative."
 
"I think it would be a good idea to let white couples adopt ethnic children. Treating them as your own is the best way to integrate children.

"I am glad I know I am adopted because, although my memories of my early life are blurry, I knew there was something that wasn't quite right. I knew for definite on my 12th birthday when my biological father knocked on my door. I was immensely happy about it."