Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to safeguard adopted children who have contact with their birth parents outside of formal contact arrangements.

Local authorities have a legal duty to provide a comprehensive adoption service.

This specifically includes “Assistance, including mediation services, in relation to arrangements for contact between an adoptive child and a natural parent, natural sibling, former guardian or a related person of the adoptive child.”.

We will be working with local authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies to improve support around contact with birth relatives, including that which has started via social media.