Hansard

I thank the colleagues who supported my motion, which provided the opportunity to bring the incredibly important topic of adoption to the chamber. I thank all the members who have stayed on tonight. I know that this is not a great time for a members’ business debate, with various other things going on, so it is worth putting that on the record.

I thank the cross-party group on social work for its dedication and leadership in this area. The group has been invaluable in highlighting the realities of adoption support across Scotland. Some of that work came to fruition through the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill, which was passed last week, and we saw the minister’s engagement on that.

The CPG’s report presents a clear and detailed picture of adoption support in Scotland today. It shows that the current system is complex, varied across different areas and often limited in its capacity to meet the needs of families. The evidence that was gathered by the group shows that many adoptive families experience support that is fragmented, inconsistent and under pressure. In many parts of the country, including in my community of Coatbridge and Chryston, adoptive families describe a system in which access to support depends on local structures and available resources. That variation creates a different experience for families who might have very similar needs.

The Adoption UK adoption barometer 2025 provides important context for this discussion. It shows that 78 per cent of adoptive families in Scotland face significant challenges and that 40 per cent describe those challenges as severe. Those figures represent a large proportion of families who have taken on the responsibility of providing stable and loving homes for children who have experienced early adversity.

The report also highlights that our understanding of adoption breakdown is limited. Although current figures suggest a relatively small number of recorded breakdowns, there is no single definition in use and no consistent requirement for data collection. As a result, the available data gives only a partial picture of family experiences.

Data is essential for effective policy. When data is available, it supports better planning, stronger accountability and improved outcomes for families. When it is incomplete, it becomes more difficult to understand the full scale of need and to respond effectively. I am grateful to the minister for making it clear last week that the next Government and relevant minister

“should take forward work early in the next parliamentary session to develop a shared definition of ‘adoption breakdown’ and to consider improvements to the collection and sharing of data.”—[Official Report, 18 March 2026; c 104.]

I note that, this week, the United Kingdom Government made a similar announcement that it is trying to gather data in this area.

I recognise the contributions of those who have shared their experiences directly. In particular, I acknowledge my constituents Richard McCombe and Kirsteen McDonald, who are in the public gallery today alongside other parents. Richard and Kirsteen have engaged extensively with my office regarding their separate personal experiences of adoption within their families. Their contributions have provided valuable insight into how the system operates in practice and how it can be improved.

The experiences of both Richard and Kirsteen’s families reflect the importance of listening to lived experience. They remind us that policy decisions have a real and lasting impact on individuals and families. I thank Richard and Kirsteen for their openness and continued engagement on the issue. I give Richard McCombe a special mention, because he has led a one-man campaign on the issue not just in Scotland but across the UK. He has found himself appearing on various media outlets, including BBC Scotland, as well as other BBC channels. I thank Richard for the work that he is doing in this area, which has come out of a really difficult situation in his own family.

One of the key messages of the report is that adoption is a lifelong process. The impact of early trauma, abuse and neglect remains with children as they grow. Their needs develop over time, and those needs are often more pronounced during adolescence and key transitions into adulthood. The report explains that many children are placed for adoption at a young age, yet their vulnerabilities often increase in later years. That pattern requires a system that provides on-going and adaptable support.

At present, in the early years, post-adoption support is typically delivered by specialist adoption teams but, often, responsibility transfers to general children and families services after three years. At that time, many families are experiencing no great adversity—or nothing that they cannot handle, for want of a better phrase. However, although that structure is established in legislation, it does not align with the complexity of adoptive family life and what might come further down the road. Specialist knowledge is an important part of effective support. Adoptive families often benefit from professionals who understand trauma, attachment and the long-term effects of early adversity. When support moves into more general services, that level of specialism is not always available.

The report also highlights the importance of early and accessible support. Families describe situations in which support becomes available only when needs have reached a high level. Earlier intervention has the potential to provide stability and strengthen family relationships. The availability of trauma-informed services, respite care and intensive family support is an important part of that approach. Those services support families during challenging periods and help to maintain stability in the home.

The report also sets out a number of recommendations that aim to strengthen the current system. Those include the development of a national adoption practice model, the introduction of mandatory data collection, improved training for professionals and the establishment of minimum standards for preparation and support. The report also recommends enhanced crisis intervention services, greater availability of respite care and increased flexibility on adoption allowances. Those measures reflect the understanding that families’ circumstances and children’s needs change over time.

I thank the minister—as everybody did, I think, in the debate last week, but I will add to that gushing tribute—for the constructive engagement that has taken place. In particular, I welcome the work to introduce an amendment on peer support for those who are involved in adoption, which was agreed to and integrated into the recent Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill. I know that my constituents in the chamber today—and, I am sure, others as well—appreciate that, because peer support is a consistent theme in discussions with adoptive parents and prospective adopters.

Families often say that being with others who have lived experience of adoption provides reassurance, practical guidance and a sense of connection. The difficulty for a lot of adoptive families is that they find that peer support at a time of crisis and difficulty, and they often wish that they had found it earlier. The amendments to the bill will help that to happen.

Across Scotland, peer support is often delivered by specialist third sector organisations. Those organisations provide a valuable service, although provision varies between areas. As I said, the amendment that was agreed to recognised the value of that support, and placed a duty on local authorities to take reasonable steps to promote that awareness and uptake of peer support services. That duty will also involve those who receive adoption services under the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007. That is a targeted and practical measure that will support families in accessing community-based support alongside formal services.

The report and the motion also highlight the importance of collaboration in developing a national framework for adoption support. That work will require engagement with adoptive families, adopted people, practitioners and local authorities. Collaboration ensures that policy reflects both professional expertise and lived experience. It supports the development of services that are responsive, consistent and effective.

It is also important to recognise the role of the state in adoption. When a child is placed for adoption, the state has an on-going responsibility to support that placement. That responsibility continues throughout the child’s development and into adulthood.

The report’s conclusion sets out a clear vision. It describes a system that recognises the complexity of adoption, provides sustained support, responds effectively during periods of difficulty and maintains accountability for outcomes. All members believe that adoption is about providing stability, care and opportunity for children. It is about supporting families to grow and thrive. Therefore, the system that supports adoption must reflect those aims.

Families in Coatbridge and Chryston, and across Scotland, must benefit from support that is consistent, accessible and informed by experience. A national framework has the potential to provide that consistency, while allowing flexibility to meet individual needs.