1 in 8 adoptions in England are by same-sex couples

One in eight adoptions in England are now to same-sex couples, according to stats released this week.

The LGBT statistics  released  on Thursday by the Department for Education shows that the proportion of children being adopted by same-sex couples in England is the highest since records began.

"LGBT+ people are more likely to consider adopting children that can be seen as ‘harder to place’—because of factors such as their age or if they have special needs."— Tor Docherty, New Family Social

3,820 children were adopted in England in 2018.

Of those, 450 were adopted by same-sex couples, amounting to 12 percent of children, or one in eight.

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New statistics show that one in every eight adoptions in England is to a same-sex couple.[/caption]

The total number of children adopted has fallen has fallen by nearly 30 percent since 2015, declining from 5,360 to 3.820.

However, the number of same-sex adoptions has remained stable at around 450 per year.

Same-sex adoptions are more common, stats show

Tor Docherty of New Family Social told PinkNews: "LGBT+ people can bring fantastic parenting skills to their adopted children. We’re thrilled to see agencies consistently recognising that LGBT+ people pay a key role in helping transform the lives of our most vulnerable children."

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Same-sex adoptions have remained stable, as total adoptions declined[/caption]

New Family Social, a peer support charity for LGBT+ adopters and foster carers, added: "We know from snapshot research that LGBT+ people are more likely to consider adopting children that can be seen as ‘harder to place’ - because of factors such as their age or if they have special needs - which can make it easier for social services to match vulnerable children with potential parents."

"LGBT+ people can bring fantastic parenting skills to their adopted children."— Tor Docherty, New Family Social

"A decade ago, just 80 adoptions in England were to same-sex couples. Now, we’re seeing over 400 adoptions a year for consecutive years, which is a mark of how far we’ve come.

"There’s still work to do – and every instance of discrimination needs to be stamped on – to make sure that LGBT+ people can go through the process with confidence, no matter where they are in the country."

Same-sex adoptions can still face challenges

Although adoptions by same-sex couples still provoke negative reactions from many, the group added that there are now a growing number of children being raised by two same-sex parents.

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Statistics are showing that more same-sex couples are adopting in England. (David Paul Morris/Getty)[/caption]

Docherty continued: "Critics of LGBT+ people adopting have become no less vociferous or consistent over the years – it was only last month a councillor was ordered to step down from a Police and Crime panel after questioning whether LGBT+ people should be allowed to foster children.

"While these negative attitudes still persist in some quarters, over three thousand children and young people in England now live with their LGBT+ adoptive parents - proving that we can and do parent successfully."