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Legislation giving unmarried and same-sex partners the legal right to adopt has been approved at Holyrood. MSPs overwhelmingly rejected an amendment to the new adoption bill by SNP MSP Roseanna Cunningham to prevent gay couples adopting together. The law, which aims to reverse the decline in numbers offering to adopt, was opposed by the Catholic Church.

The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill was approved by 101 votes to six, with six abstentions.

National Adoption Week takes place in November each year. The week encourages people from all walks of life to find out about adopting a child.

That is just the first step for some people, but there are still thousands of children waiting.

MSPs have supported a new adoption law for Scotland, allowing unmarried couples, including gay couples, to adopt children. Education Minister Peter Peacock said the move could boost the number of homes for children.

At present, only married or single people can adopt. In same-sex and unmarried couples, only one member is seen as the child's legal parent. The vote have sparked an angry reaction from the Roman Catholic Church. Joseph Devine, the Bishop of Motherwell, urged MSPs to vote against the move after the Bishops' Conference of Scotland described it as "irresponsible".

Radical reforms to adoption law in Scotland could transform the lives of hundreds of children and their families, says BAAF

BAAF today welcomes the introduction of a new bill which could transform the lives of hundreds of vulnerable children.

Key provisions in the Adoption (Scotland) Bill include the introduction of the Permanency Order, increased adoption support and the right for unmarried couples, including gay and lesbian couples, to jointly adopt. It is based on recommendations made last year by the Adoption Policy Review Group, set up by the Scottish Executive in 2001.

Barbara Hudson, Director of BAAF Scotland, says: “Many children in care today have suffered abuse or neglect and they will all have experienced the distress of being separated from their birth families. This bill is hugely important and has the potential to ensure that many more of these children can live more stable lives – something they all desperately need. The legislation affirms the value of adoption but recognises that this is not the right plan for all children and has introduced a new concept, the “permanence order”.

“Permanence Orders will make it easier for long-term plans to be made for children. It will also mean foster carers can share some of the responsibility for day to day decisions, which will help these children feel part of their foster family.

The Bill is published by the Scottish Executive. For full details, click here

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