I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information regarding the average waiting time (number of days/weeks/months) for adopters
(1) The total number of children adopted in each of the last 5 years.
This is the number of Children Looked After by Devon County Council who were adopted within the financial year. The child may have been adopted by Devon Adopters OR Other Local Authority Adopters.
• 2020-21 – 30
• 2019-20 – 37
• 2018-19 – 32
• 2017-18 – 60
• 2016-17 – 49
(2) The total number of children in foster care in each of the last 5 years.
We can confirm that these figures are for unique Children Looked After (CLA) (excluding short breaks) who were in a foster placement at any time within the year.
• 2020-21 – 892
• 2019-20 – 849
• 2018-19 – 792
• 2017-18 – 790
• 2016-17 – 829
(3) The total number of children under the age of 10 adopted in each of the last 5 years.
This is the number of Children Looked After by Devon County Council who were adopted within the year (aged under 10 when the Adoption Order was granted).
• 2020-21 – 28
• 2019-20 – 37
• 2018-19 – 32
• 2017-18 – 60
• 2016-17 – 49
(4) The total number of children under the age of 10 in care in each of the last 5 years.
We can confirm that these figures are for unique Children Looked After (CLA) (excluding short breaks) looking at the child’s age in their last placement within the year.
• 2020-21 – 591
• 2019-20 – 397
• 2018-19 – 360
• 2017-18 – 360
• 2016-17 – 379
(5) The average length of time from parents’ application to a completed adoption in each of the last 5 years.
In response to your query we should clarify the following key information:
“Parents” defined as – Adopters who have successfully adopted a child within the year.
Adopt South West (ASW) Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) came into effect from 01/10/18 covering Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset Adopter applications. The figures are only those Adopters from the Devon area only (excluding adopters from Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset that adopted through ASW after 01/10/18).
These figures are based on the number of applications to become adopters, if the application is made by a couple, then they are counted as 1 application. The figure was based on the number of days between the initial enquiry and the final adoption order being granted.
• 2020-21 – 2 Years, 5 Months and 27 Days
• 2019-20 – 1 Year, 11 Months and 7 Days
• 2018-19 – 2 Years, 2 Months and 1 Day
• 2017-18 – 2 Years, 3 Months and 16 Days
• 2016-17 – 2 Years, 1 Month and 20 Days
(6) The average length of time from parents’ application to a completed adoption for children under the age of 10 in each of the last 5 years.
We can confirm that there were no children over the age of 10 adopted by Devon Adopters within these 5 years