Government entrusts Catholic agency with adoption register

A BRIEF announcement last week by the Scottish Government that it is handing control of the national adoption register to the St Andrew’s Children’s Society masks a significant achievement for the former Catholic charity, which only a few years ago was embroiled in the row over allowing same-sex couples to adopt, writes Paul Wilkinson.

Other faith-based groups have struggled to cope with the change in the law and some have even closed down, but the Edinburgh-based St Andrew’s, which severed its formal connection with the Church to accept the new legislation, has bucked the trend.

“The reason we have gone from strength to strength is that we have recognised that we are primarily a charitable organisation, independent of any faith organisation,” said Stephen Small, its director. “That allowed us to accommodate secular laws that our profession are bound by.

“We have managed to maintain a moral reputation that the needs of children are first, and an openness to developing how we can make as many people as possible open to adopting across society.”

St Andrew’s finds families for up to 40 children a year and has about 25 children in long-term fostering.

Mr Small said the charity had benefited from an early engagement with the Church over adoption by same-sex couples and that locally there was a more open attitude. “The Church does not always speak with one voice across dioceses. Some bishops had a more open view about sexuality and parenting, while some felt they were not able to do that in the same way. I respect both positions but I think those organisations which closed or had to change were where that relationship was uneasy.”

St Andrew’s refers to itself as a former faith-based agency, but directors and other staff still meet with opposite numbers on Anglican groups. “We felt there is a common thread of faith as part of our history and to some extent, part of our current thinking around our mission,” said Mr Small, “but it is not a formal link with the Church any longer. That was not possible.”