Suicide rates - losing children to ' forced adoption'

Dear Mr/Ms Peroll

Thank you for your recent email. A reply will be sent to you as soon as
possible (where a response is required). For information, the
departmental standard for correspondence received is that responses
should be sent within 15 working days or 20 working days if you are
requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Your correspondence has been allocated the reference number 2009/0081656

Thank you.

Central Allocation Team

Public Communications Team

Tel: 0870 0002288
www.dcsf.gov.uk

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Dear Mr/Mrs Peroll,
Thank you for your request for information, which was received on 30
September 2009. You requested information on 1) the numbers of parents who
have given prior consent for adoption of their children versus how many
parents objected but still had their parental rights removed i.e. 'forced
adoption';2) for the number of family members who have committed suicide
after losing their children to `forced adoption'; and 3) the number of
mothers who have committed suicide or had an abortion through fear of
losing children to `forced adoption'. I have dealt with your request under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am writing to advise you that whilst I am unable to provide you with a
complete answer to your question, I can refer you to our most recent
publication on Looked After Children which can be found at:
[1]http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/...

Information on the number of looked after children who were placed for
adoption in England with consent or with a placement order can be found in
Table A3: "Children looked after at 31 March by placement".

In addition to the footnotes accompanying this table, information is only
known about children who, were reported as having been `placed' for
adoption, subsequent to parental consent or a placement order being
granted. A local authority may apply for a placement order for a number of
reasons e.g. because the child has no parent or guardian. Also, the fact
that a placement order has been granted doesn't infer that the parent(s)
necessarily objected to their child being adopted. Paragraph 25 of Annex A
in "Every Child Matters: Adoption guidance: Adoption and Children Act
2002", which can be found at:

[2]http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters...

states the following:

"Where a child is the subject of a care order and the local authority
decides that the child should be placed for adoption, the authority may
either apply for a placement order or it may place the child for adoption
with consent, if the parents are prepared to give their consent under
section 19 of the Act. This provides the authority with flexibility and, in
the latter case, avoids unnecessary court proceedings if consent is
forthcoming. However, the authority will have to consider whether it can
rely on the parents' consent remaining in place or whether it would be in
the child's best interests to apply for a placement order."

With reference to your two other questions relating to the suicide of
mothers and other family members, I am writing to advise you that following
a search of the Department's paper and electronic records, I have
established that the information you requested is not held by this
Department.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please
remember to quote our reference number in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should write to me within two calendar months of the date of this
letter.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO
cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted our complaints/review
procedure.
Yours sincerely,

D Sault
SA: DSG
[email address]
[3]www.dcsf.gov.uk

Your correspondence has been allocated the reference number 2009/0083126.

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References

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1. http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/...
2. http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters...
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters...
3. http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/