New figures show that almost 4,000 children in care were adopted in 2012 - an increase of 15% and the highest ever since records began.
The annual 'looked-after children' statistics show that 3,980 children were adopted across England between April 2012 and March 2013, up from 3,470 the previous year. This is higher than in any year since 1992, when comparable records began.
