Adoption + care experience
Paula from Adoption UK Scotland answers the question – are adopted children care experienced?
Amy:
So, Paula, are adopted young people care experienced?
Paula:
Yeah. Almost all adopted children and young people will have spent some time in foster care before they were adopted. In fact, according to the 2024 permanently progressing study led by the University of Stirling, the average time a child in Scotland took to be placed in a permanent home was about two and a half years. So quite a long time. And the important thing for me would be to note that the early life experiences of being in care, no matter how short, they stay with a person, they don’t disappear. You retain that experience.
🔗 Adoption UK Scotland supports adoptive families and adopted people, offering community, advocacy, and resources to help every voice be heard.
🔗 Read more on our What is care experience? page.
Understanding FASD
Paula and Amy from Adoption UK Scotland talk about understanding Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) as an additional support need.
Myth bustersFASD
Recognising kinship care
Video: What schools can do to recognise and support pupils living in kinship care.
Key informationKinship care
Is care experience an additional support need?
Video: Adoption UK Scotland talk about why being care experienced can be considered an additional support need.
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