Adoption

Summary

A Freedom of Information request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care regarding adoption statistics, specifically concerning waiting adopters, children in foster care with adoption plans, and foster-to-adopt placements. The authority responded by disclosing specific figures for all three questions asked.

Key Facts

• There are currently 4 adopters on the Isle of Man waiting for a child placement.
• Of the 10 children under age 5 in foster care, 4 have a plan of adoption.
• In the past 5 years, 2 children were adopted by their foster carers after being placed with them before age 2.
• The request was received on 20 May 2019 and the response was issued on 11 June 2019.
• The response was provided by the Chief Executive, Angela Murray.

Data Disclosed

• 4
• 10
• 2
• 2019-05-20
• 2019-06-11
• 834265
• 5 years
• 2 years old

Original Request

Question 1: How many adopters are there currently on the Isle of Man waiting for a child placement? Question 2: Of the 10 children under the age of 5 currently in foster care on the Island, how many of those children have a plan of adoption? Question 3: How many children, in the past 5 years, have been adopted by their foster carer after being placed with them before they were 2 years old and remained with them until the adoption took place?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive: Angela Murray Freedom of Information Team DHSC Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas IM1 3QA

(01624) 642621 dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc

Our ref: 834265 11th June 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 20th May 2019 and states:

"Question 1: How many adopters are there currently on the Isle of Man waiting for a child placement? Question 2: Of the 10 children under the age of 5 currently in foster care on the Island, how many of those children have a plan of adoption? Question 3: How many children, in the past 5 years, have been adopted by their foster carer after being placed with them before they were 2 years old and remained with them until the adoption took place?"

Our response to your request is as follows:

Question 1: How many adopters are there currently on the Isle of Man waiting for a child placement? Four (4) Question 2: Of the 10 children under the age of 5 currently in foster care on the Island, how many of those children have a plan of adoption? Four (4)

Question 3: How many children, in the past 5 years, have been adopted by their foster carer after being placed with them before they were 2 years old and remained with them until the adoption took place? Two (2) Please quote the reference number 834265 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely