Amendments

In April 2026, information was added in Section 3, Examples of Adoption Support to highlight that the DfE has extended the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund initially until March 2027, with a new fair access limit of £3000.

In April 2026, information was added to Section 5, Child’s Adoption Medical about the NHS England key principles for ensuring continuous health records of adopted children.

In April 2026, this chapter was updated to provide a link to the Information Commissioner's Office ‘Better Records Together’.

Section 3, Security, Retention and Sharing of Records was updated in April 2026 in light of the Records of Adopted and Care-experienced People – Good Practice Guidance for Record-keepers and Care Professionals (England and Wales) Guidance - published February 2024 which recommends that Adoption records where an Adoption Order is made should now have for "good practice" minimum retention of 125 years (date of birth + 125 years this was previously 100 years) or for "exemplary practice" for 150 years, or best practice would be permanent preservation/retention. A link was also added to information on the Information Commissioner's Office ‘Better Records Together’.

Section 4.1, Adoption Orders made before 30 December 2005 was slightly amended in October 2025 to include the term keeping in touch.

Section 5, The Conduct of Adoption Reviews was slightly updated in October 2025 to include the term keeping in touch.

In October 2025, this chapter was slightly updated to include the terminology keeping in touch.

In October 2025, this chapter was slightly updated to include the terminology keeping in touch.

Section 3, Security, Retention and Sharing of Records was slightly updated in October 2025 to include the term keeping in touch.

In October 2025, this chapter was slightly updated to include the term keeping in touch.

Section 2.3, General Conduct was slightly amended in October 2025 to include the term keeping in touch.

In October 2025, this chapter was slightly updated to include the term keeping in touch.

This chapter was updated in April 2025 to include a link to the Disclosure and Barring Service Guidance Leaflets (GOV.UK) in Related Guidance.

This chapter was updated in April 2025 with a link to DBS guidance leaflets (GOV.UK) in Section 4.4, Concluding the Investigation.

Section 4.2, Procedural Fairness was updated in April 2025 in line with case-law.