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Law change to speed up adoption process for babies

Babies taken into care will be placed with prospective adoptive parents, rather than with temporary foster parents, in plans set out by the Prime Minister.

The Government intends to change the law so that local authorities will have to consider placing children with approved adopters who will foster the child first, so that a permanent stable home can be provided as soon as possible.

Ministers believe that the current practice is too slow because it leaves babies on average having to wait 15 months before being placed in a permanent home.

The Government intends to legislate so that fostering by potential adopters becomes standard practice.

Under the current system many local authorities tend to wait until a court order is received before starting to look for a permanent home.

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