Adoption UK · 2022
This annual survey of over 2,500 adoptive parents and prospective adopters across the UK examines experiences of the adoption process, post-adoption support, education, and birth family contact. Key findings show that 22% of adopted 16–25-year-olds were NEET at the end of 2021—more than twice the national average—and that 71% of adoptive families face a continual struggle to access the help they need. A supplementary survey of 282 adopted adults focused specifically on experiences of maintaining or establishing birth family relationships, finding significant gaps in counselling and support at every stage. The report includes nation-by-nation assessments of policy and practice across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.