A word from...... James Lawrence, Head of Communications & Engagement

LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week returns this March. It reaches out to our community across the UK. Led by New Family Social, the campaign brings together LGBTQ+ people and agencies under the theme “Now’s the Time.” With thousands of looked-after children in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland the need for new adopters and foster carers is more pressing than ever.

There's been real progress since legal changes in the 2000s came into force. One in five adoptions in England were to same-gender couples in 2025. But there's areas of concern in the latest statistics. These show a fall in the number of lesbian and bisexual women adopting in England and Scotland.

In Scotland in 2024 there were five times more adoptions to male couples than to female couples. While there’s always been a difference between the two, the disparity's greater than ever. In England, adoptions by female couples in 2025 also fell, now representing less than a third of all adoptions by same-gender couples.

The headline statistics of adoptions by same-gender couples in both countries are good. They show modest growth. But a closer inspection of both countries reveals that as adoptions by male couples increased, the number of female couples adopting fell. Why this occurred is unclear. But its impact could be far-reaching.

LGBTQ+ people now represent one of the largest pools of potential adopters. That's thanks to campaigns like LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week and the work of individual agencies. Our community's also good at encouraging each other to step forward.

However, there’s concern in the adoption sector. The number of people approved to adopt is currently insufficient, compared to the number of children with adoption as their care plan. Almost every adoption agency supporting this year’s campaign raised this point. Given this, exploring and addressing the decline of one of the key potential adopter types should be a priority for leading stakeholders in adoption in England and Scotland.