FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ADOPTIVE FAMILIES

That this House recognises that parents do not choose to adopt a child for financial gain, but feels that they should be supported to avoid financial stress when taking a child into their family; decries the inequality of self-employed adopters receiving no financial support during adoption leave unless they qualify through means-testing by their local authority; and, in light of the shortage of adoptive families, calls for their situation to be brought into line with maternity leave by providing an allowance at least equivalent to maternity allowance and for such an adoption allowance to be pegged to maternity allowance in the future.