UK Attitudes To Adoption

More Support Than Oppose Gay Adoption

The proposal to give gay couples the right to jointly adopt children has, for the first time, more support than opposition -- according to recent research by MORI. In a survey conducted two years ago for the Daily Mail newspaper*, more than half of people in the UK (55%) disagreed with the statement 'Gay couples should be allowed to adopt children', with a third (33%) agreeing.

However, a MORI survey carried out in September this year for the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) shows that more than two in five people (44%) in the UK now believe the law should be changed so that gay and lesbian couples in stable and long-term relationships should be allowed to adopt a child together.

Just over a third (36%) of those surveyed disagree that same sex couples should be allowed to adopt jointly and one in five (20%) is undecided. Women and younger people are most likely to support same sex adoption and the most likely to oppose are white men over 55 years old.

One in four adults have either direct experience of adoption or have experienced adoption through a member of their family or a close friend, according to new research by the MORI Social Research Institute.

The survey suggests that people who have personal experience of adoption are more likely to consider adopting a child themselves. One in seven (13%) of those with personal experience of adoption have considered adopting a child or would consider it in the future, compared to one in 10 (nine per cent) overall.

Parents are also more likely to adopt -- more than one in 10 (12%) of those with children say they have considered adopting or would consider it in the future, compared with seven per cent of adults without children.

The findings show that there is widespread misunderstanding about why children need adopting. The two main reasons cited by survey respondents are family breakdown and the death of a parent. This starkly contrasts with BAAF research which shows that the single main reason (39%) why children need adopting is because of abuse or neglect.

The survey suggests that although efforts to raise awareness of the need for more adopters for children in the UK are working, more needs to be done. More than two in five of those surveyed have seen publicity about overseas adoption, particularly adoption of babies from China, but just a quarter (27%) have seen appeals for more adopters for children in this country. Topping the issues most heard or seen about are adoption by same sex couples and internet adoption, in particular the Kilshaw case. The new Adoption Bill was the issue least likely to have caught the public's attention.

• BAAF Adoption Survey 2002 -- Report pdf, 59KB

Notes

* MORI interviewed 1,007 British adults aged 18+. Interviews were conducted by telephone on 25-27 January 2000. Based on all unless otherwise stated. Data are weighted to the known population profile. Poll conducted by MORI on behalf of the Daily Mail.

Topline Results

• 1,836 interviews were conducted with members of the general public face-to-face, in home between 5-10 September, 2002.
• Data presented are weighted to reflect the national profile
• Results are based on all respondents, unless otherwise stated
• An asterisk (*) represents a value of less than half a per cent, but not zero
• Where results do not sum to 100%, this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding, or the exclusion of 'don't know / not stated' response categories

Q1. Which, if any, of the following apply to you? Please just read out the letter or letters that apply.

Q2. What do you consider to be the single main reason why children need adopting?

Q3. Which, if any, of the following have you recently heard or seen about adoption? Please just read out the letter or letters that apply.

Currently a single gay or lesbian person who has passed all the required vetting procedures can legally adopt a child. Where the gay or lesbian person is in a stable, long-term relationship only one partner and not both can legally adopt the child. Both will have been vetted as suitable and both will be looking after the child.

Q4. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the law should be changed so that couples like this are eligible to adopt a child jointly?