CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has welcomed plans by the Government to spend an additional £160 million over the next three years to help more vulnerable children in care find a permanent and loving home through adoption.

The new funding follows the launch of the Government’s National Adoption Strategy last summer, which aims to reduce how long children wait in care by providing more training for frontline staff, recruiting more adopters and providing more support to families after they adopt.

New statistics show good progress has been made in finding more adopters, with 23% more families approved to adopt in September 2021 compared to September 2020.

Mr Stride said: ‘Recruiting more families who are willing to adopt is crucial, as is speeding up the approvals process so people who come forward don’t spend years waiting unnecessarily.

‘But providing post-adoptive support is equally important, particularly for children who have suffered abuse or trauma. This additional funding will make a big difference.’

‘The pandemic has resulted in more children entering the care system but there have been some encouraging signs in the past year when it comes to adoption.

‘More children are leaving the care system through adoption, the number of children waiting longer than 18 months to be adopted is falling, and extra support is helping to reduce aggressive behaviour among adopted boys in particular.

‘The increase in the Adoption Support Fund will help ensure that adopted children and their families are given every resource they need so they can thrive together.’