1 in 8 adoptions in Scotland in 2023 were to same-gender couples, says New Family Social. The LGBTQ+ peer-support charity calculated the figure based on new statistics released by National Records of Scotland.

Out of 369 adoptions in total, 29 were to male couples and 15 to female couples. The total for 2023 – 44 – equals the previous highest number to LGBTQ+ people in the country in 2021.

In England and Wales, 1 in 5 adoptions were to same-gender couples in 2023. In Northern Ireland in the same period it was 1 in 8.

All UK governments publish data that undercounts the full engagement of LGBTQ+ people in adoption. Current statistics focus on the composition of the adoptive family – whether that family is one man, one woman, one man and a woman, two men or two women. This makes it impossible to include single LGBTQ+ adoptive parents in New Family Social’s calculation. Bi adopters in different gender relationships and trans adopters in different gender relationships are invisible in current data.

Tor Docherty, Chief Executive of New Family Social, said: ‘It's wonderful to see that more and more same-gender couples choose to adopt and provide a stable and nurturing environment for children who need it. We know that LGBTQ+ people already make great adoptive parents across the UK. Hopefully these figures will encourage more prospective adopters in Scotland to step forward and help transform the lives of looked-after children.’

‘LGBTQ+ people now play a key role in adoption. It’s time for the sector to develop and adopt minimum baseline standards of good practice when it works with our community. These will inspire confidence in LGBTQ+ people. We want to know that whichever agency we choose, we'll work with professionals who focus on the strengths our community brings to adoption - rather than misconceptions and prejudice. New Family Social's work tells us that not all LGBTQ+ people who adopt in the UK have a journey free from discrimination. Baseline standards would help agencies to better assess and support our community.’

Adopter type in Scotland	Adoptions in Scotland in 2022	Adoptions in Scotland in 2023
Female couple	9	15
Male couple	23	29
Total same-gender couples	32	44
All adoptions by adopter type	370	369
Same-gender couples as percentage of all adopter types	8.7	11.9
Same-gender couples as proportion of all adopters types	1 in 12 [1 in 11.5]	1 in 8 [1 in 8.4]