A lawyer from Bristol has welcomed government proposals to allow unmarried couples to adopt.

Family law specialist Maggie Roberts, who is a partner at Bristol law firm Clarke Willmott & Clarke, says that removing the legal restrictions will allow more couples to adopt children from care.

Ms Roberts said:
"Removing the legal difficulties should allow more unmarried couples to consider adoption and that wider choice must benefit the children who need a secure and stable home life, not a series of institutions or foster carers.

"It is possible for one person of an unmarried couple to adopt a child, but that causes legal difficulties for the other partner while they are together, if they separate or on the death of the adoptive parent.

"The reality is that large numbers of people decide to live together and the permanency and stability of the adult relationship is more important for the children than the legal footing."