Numbers of children waiting to be adopted in Luton are among the highest in the country, figures from the Department of Education released today (January 11) show.
The figures are plotted on a map, with Luton having more than 48 children of all ages waiting for adoption –the highest category.
Neighbouring areas Central Beds and Bedford fall in the lowest category, with fewer than 17 children waiting for adoption.
Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and Essex also have the high number of more than 48 children waiting like Luton.
The Department of Education stress this is not a judgement on the local authority as the size of the local authority and other factors may affect the number of children waiting for adoption.
Andrew Webb, vice president of the ADCS told the BBC: “The map does not give a full illustration of a complex and moving picture, but we hope it will help illustrate that there are still children waiting to be adopted in every part of the country and encourage those who are interested in adoption to come forward”
A telephone hotline for people interested in adoption opens today, funded by the Department for Education but run by a group of three charities - Coram, Coram Children’s Legal Centre and Adoption UK.
The hotline number is 0300 222 0022.