Figures published by the English government’s Department for Education today (10 December) show that 1 in 6 adoptions in 2020 were to same-sex couples. This is the highest proportion since records began, analysis by the UK’s LGBT+ adoption and fostering charity New Family Social shows.

While the total number of adoptions in England fell to 3,440 in 2020, some 570 were to same-sex couples. This was an increase to the highest number of adoptions by same-sex couples to date, beating the previous high of 490 in 2019.

Tor Docherty, New Family Social’s Chief Executive said: ‘We’re delighted to see the numbers of adoptions to LGBT+ people increase for the third consecutive year. LGBT+ people can and do provide invaluable parenting to some of our most vulnerable children. England’s adoption agencies increasingly recognise and use us as an essential resource. It’s great to end this challenging year with some much-needed good news.’

New Family Social runs the annual LGBT+ Adoption & Fostering Week campaign, which started in 2012. In that year 160 adoptions were to same-sex couples, representing 1 in 22 adoptions that year.

How the statistics break down:

Total number of adoptions in England in 2020: 3,440

Total number of adoptions in England by same-sex couples [whether married, civilly partnered or neither]: 570

Adoptions by same-sex couple as percentage of whole: 16.6

Proportion of adoptions by same-sex couples in 2019/20: 1 in 6

In detail:

Family type	Number of adoptions 2019/20 by same-sex couples
Male married same-sex couples	170
Female married same-sex couples	120
Male civil partnership couple	70
Female civil partnership couple	30
Male couple/not married or Civilly partnered	120
Female couple/not married or Civilly partnered	60

• Department for Education statistics exclude bi people not in an opposite-sex relationship, single adopters who are LGBT+ and trans people not in an opposite-sex relationship