Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform the adoption process to safely manage potential early contact between adopted children and their birth families, in view of the increased opportunities for such contact created by social media.

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.