Recent figures from the quarterly statistics for the family courts of England and Wales show that the number of adoption cases has fallen. According to the latest release from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for the quarter April to June 2025, there were 903 adoption applications, down 17% on the same period in 2024. And 969 adoption orders were issued, a decrease of 13%.
Recent figures from the quarterly statistics for the family courts of England and Wales show that the number of adoption cases has fallen. According to the latest release from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for the quarter April to June 2025, there were 903 adoption applications, down 17% on the same period in 2024. And 969 adoption orders were issued, a decrease of 13%.
What the numbers tell us
The MoJ’s quarterly report highlights that while the overall number of cases started in family courts increased slightly (up 2% in Q2 2025 compared to the same quarter in 2024), the picture for adoptions is markedly different.
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In April–June 2025, adoption applications stood at 903 (–17% on the equivalent quarter in 2024)
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Adoption orders issued fell to 969 (–13%)
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The number of adoption cases disposed of fell by 10%
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In a previous quarter (January–March 2025) there were 1,012 applications (down 3% on the previous year) and 1,008 orders (down 8%)
The term adoption cases, as used here, covers the applications and orders under adoption law in the family court system, and as can be seen, are significant decreases that show a worrying trend.
When adoption applications and orders are both falling, it suggests fewer children are being placed for adoption via the courts; and fewer prospective adopters are completing this route.
Why might adoption cases be falling?
The drop in adoption cases is probably the result of several factors, none of which alone is the sole driver, but together they create a complex environment.
- Structural pressures on the family justice system: The family courts overall are under pressure with the budget for the MoJ having been cut in real terms over years. Research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows that day-to-day spending by the MoJ in 2025–26 is still 14% lower than it was in 2007–08, and 24% lower in per-person terms.
Cuts in resources mean less capacity in courts, less judicial and administrative staff, and increased backlogs. In that environment, more complex or resource-intensive areas of work (such as adoptions) may face delays or may become less of a priority for local authorities and court listing.
- Legal aid and representation issues: While adoption proceedings are not the same as private law children disputes, the wider family justice ecosystem has been impacted by legal aid reforms. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) removed funding for many private family law cases such as child disputes, except in limited circumstances.
Although adoption is a public law process (involving local authorities and courts rather than purely private disputes), the overall reduction in legal aid and advice capacity, and the higher volumes of litigants in person in family courts, create system-wide strain. Parents, adopters and local authority legal teams may find delays mounting, and some potential adopters might be deterred by the complexity of the process.
- Local authority and social services pressures: Adoption is a process that begins (often) with the local authority placing a child for adoption (or obtaining a placement order), then identifying adopters, matching the child and adopters, and culminating in a court adoption order. Local authorities and social services remain subject to funding pressures and high workloads:
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Social workers’ caseloads are high, meaning less capacity for finding adopters, preparing reports, and matching children.
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Budgets for children’s services have seen cuts or real-terms stagnation, which may lead to fewer children being referred for adoption or fewer adopters being recruited.
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Local authorities may be more cautious about placing children for adoption given capacity issues or changes in policy favouring long-term foster care in some cases.
- Changing policy, threshold and regulatory environment: The environment around adoption in England and Wales has evolved. For example:
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There is greater focus on the needs and wishes of children, more robust assessment of suitability of adopters, and perhaps slower decision-making.
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Some children may have more complex needs (older children, sibling groups, children with particular health or developmental needs) which means fewer “straightforward” placements and thus fewer orders.
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The system may be moving towards fewer but more carefully selected matches, which may reduce quantity in favour of quality.
- Prospective adopter behaviour and shifting demand: Potential adopters may face more hurdles — lengthy assessments, greater paperwork, more rigorous scrutiny of home circumstances and support needs. Some may be discouraged; others may withdraw before making a formal application. Additionally:
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Some candidates may choose to adopt privately or internationally (outside the public law court route) rather than via the local authority/court model.
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The “market” of children needing adoption may be changing. For example, many children may now remain in long-term foster care rather than being placed for adoption, particularly older children.
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Fewer younger children being placed because of improved support for birth families, increased placement of children via other routes (e.g., kinship care or foster to adopt), which can reduce the pool of children for whom an adoption order is sought.
Implications of the decline in adoption cases
A reduction in adoption cases, both applications and orders, is not inherently a negative outcome. If the decline is due to more children remaining in foster placements because that is in their best interests, then that may be appropriate. But if the decline is because of systemic barriers, delays, fewer adopters recruited or lack of capacity, then this raises concerns:
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Children who might benefit from a permanent adoptive home may face prolonged stays in foster care.
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Prospective adopters may become disillusioned or give up, reducing the pool of able families.
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Local authorities and courts may struggle to process cases in a timely manner, leading to drift and uncertainty for children.
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The strategic aim of adoption, to provide children with stability, permanence and security, may become harder to deliver if the system is under strain.
Understanding how to adopt a child
Here is a brief overview of how to adopt a child in England & Wales and what the adoption processes generally involve.
The adoption processes
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Initial enquiry and assessment
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You express interest to an adoption agency. This could be your local authority or via an adoption agency.
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You attend information sessions and fill out an application form.
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You proceed to an adoption assessment which covers your home, health, finances, support network, motivations, background checks (including DBS), and references.
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Approval as an adopter
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Once you complete the assessment and are considered suitable, you are approved as an adopter.
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The panel (adoption agency panel) will consider your application and recommend approval.
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If approved, you join the list of adopters waiting for a match.
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Matching with a child
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The agency seeks to identify a child whose needs correspond with your capabilities and preferences (age, gender, background, developmental needs).
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A match meeting takes place involving you, the child’s social worker, and adoption agency to review the details of the child’s history, needs, and plan.
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Once matched, you meet the child and there is a transition plan.
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Placement and court application
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After matching and placement, there is a period of support and monitoring. This is commonly referred to as the pre-order stage.
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The adoption agency applies to the court for a placement order, if not already obtained, and then subsequently for an adoption order under the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
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Adoption order
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The court reviews the application and considers the welfare of the child. If satisfied, the court grants the adoption order, giving you parental responsibility in place of the birth parents.
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After the order, you become the child’s legal parent. Support and post-adoption services may continue.
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As you can see, the adoption process is quite involved and rigorously regulated, which is entirely appropriate given the lifelong implications for children and adoptive families.
Key points for potential adopters
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Be prepared: there is a rigorous assessment of suitability, such as health, finances, motivations, background, support network.
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Time and patience: the process often takes many months from enquiry to match; this may partly explain lower volumes of adoption orders in a constrained system.
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Support: adoptive families benefit from post-order support and training; it is wise to check what support the agency offers.
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Flexibility: you may be approved for a certain age range, or for children with certain backgrounds or needs; broader flexibility may increase your chances of match.
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Permanence focus: adoption is fundamentally about providing a permanent home for a child whose birth family can no longer provide one; it is not simply becoming a parent in the usual sense.
Why the decline in adoption cases matters?
The decline in adoption cases matters because adoption is one of the key routes to achieving permanence for children in the care system. The aims of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 include placing children in greatest need of a home with permanently committed parents. When fewer cases are proceeding, two risks emerge:
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Children may remain in temporary or long-term foster care without the legal security that adoption provides.
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Adoptive parents may encounter a less efficient system, leading to drop-out or attrition, thereby reducing future supply of adoptive families.
If the number falls because fewer children are being referred or fewer adopters are coming forward, that signals a potential failure in the system. The decline in adoption cases in England and Wales is notable, and demands attention. Ultimately, the goal should be that children who need adoption get it, and adopters who wish to provide stable homes can do so efficiently and safely. The reduction in the number of adoption cases, and adoption orders, is a sign that requires investigation and action.
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