STATISTICS released today show that hundreds of children across Lancashire have been waiting longer than the national average to be placed with adoptive families.

Figures released by the Department of Education show that nationwide children are forced to wait an average of 20 months from entering care to moving in with their adoptive parents – six months slower than the timetable set out in national guidance.

But the average length of care proceedings by Lancashire County Council is 676 days – approximately two months above the national average.

And it currently takes Blackburn with Darwen a total of 687 days.

The figures are the first ever local authority adoption scorecards, based between 2009 to 2011, showing that there are widespread delays throughout the adoption process.

It came after just 3,050 children in care, including just 60 babies, found new homes through adoption last year, the lowest since 2001.

There are currently 40 children in Blackburn with Darwen who are waiting to be adopted and 115 in Lancashire County Council care as a whole.

The Government adoption advisor, Martin Narey, said that help will be given to speed-up the process across Lancashire.

He said: “Over the last few months, and in visits to more than 20 local authorities, I have been encouraged by the way the seriousness of adoption delays has been taken on board and the determination of struggling and well performing authorities to improve.”

But Lancashire County Council bosses say they welcome any moves which will streamline the adoption process for children, especially in the courts.

Anne-Marie Ranson, Lancashire County Council's adoption manager, said: "However, adoption is a very complex and sensitive process and raw data on average time spans should be treated with a degree of caution unless considered alongside important contextual information.

"The decision to permanently remove a child from his or her birth family is one of the most significant responsibilities and duties placed upon the local authority.

"The linking and matching process is critical if adoption placements are to last.

"Lancashire is proud of its low rate of placement breakdowns prior to the adoption order being granted. Attention to detail is essential when considering the needs of individual children and the capacity of prospective adopters to meet their particular needs.

"The majority of children placed for adoption have been removed from their birth family as opposed to having been given up voluntarily.

"This can result in lengthy legal proceedings and in some instances additional delays can be incurred while members of a child's extended family are considered as possible carers."

Gladys Rhodes White OBE, director of Childrens Services and Education at Blackburn with Darwen Council said that their adoption team 'strive' for an equal balance.

She said: "We are doing a detailed analysis of the scorecards which we received today. We are extremely passionate about helping children and have an excellent performance record for our adoption services, judged as outstanding in our last inspection.

"This is a complex area of work and we are never complacent and are always striving to get the right balance between avoiding unnecessary delays and making sure the right decisions and matching processes are in place for some of our most vulnerable children.

"Our aim is to ensure adoptions succeed because the process has been thorough and appropriate – always putting the best interests of our children first and foremost."