Numbers of adopted children in care unknown

THE number of adopted children in care is not known by the HSE, the Department of Health or the Department of Children, despite it being raised as a concern by social workers as far back as 2005.

The only major report commissioned into intercountry adoption outcomes in Ireland, in 2005, explicitly criticised the lack of post- adoption services and the fact that a number of internationally adopted children had ended up in care.

“All social workers were aware of and concerned about the lack of post-adoption services. Although it did not arise in this study, all knew of cases where adoptions had broken down and internationally adopted children had been taken into care,” said the study.