Social workers have barred a couple from adopting a child after the would-be father was seen smoking an e-cigarette.

The decision came after the pair had passed a long series of tests to qualify as parents, and had earlier paid for expensive fertility treatment, which failed.

They were told they could not adopt if either of them had used an e-cigarette in the past 12 months – despite experts saying that ‘vaping’ poses little or no threat to children in the home.

Refused: ‘Abigail’ and ‘Brian’, who do not want to give their real names, were barred from adopting a child after he was seen smoking an e-cigarette.

Last night, the couple said: ‘When there are so many children desperate for a family and a stable home, to put up such trivial barriers is ridiculous.’

The decision by Staffordshire County Council is unlikely to be a one-off.

At least 13 councils in England ban e-cigarette users from fostering or adopting young children, The Mail on Sunday has found – and there could be more.

‘Abigail’ and ‘Brian’, who do not want to give their real names, approached the council in December 2013 after several failed IVF attempts costing over £20,000.

A social worker visited the following month, but made ‘no mention’ of restrictions on smokers or e-cigarette users adopting, they claim. At the time, Brian was a light smoker of normal cigarettes.

By last September, having undergone medicals and interviews, and having proved they were of sound character and financially capable of raising a child, the pair thought they were on track to adopt. But when a social worker saw Brian using an e-cigarette, everything changed.

Brian, 45, said: ‘By then I’d stopped smoking completely and hadn’t had a real cigarette in months. I was using e-cigarettes as a cessation aid, to ease the nicotine cravings.’

The social worker warned them the council did not allow smokers to adopt young children, although she was unclear about its position with e-cigarette users.

The next day, she revealed that the council would not place a child with anyone who had used e-cigarettes in the previous 12 months either.

In October, she confirmed in an email: ‘Should you both become non smokers/e-smokers over a 12-month period, then you could of course reapply.’

At least 13 councils in England ban e-cigarette users from fostering or adopting young children, The Mail on Sunday has found – and there could be more

There is no evidence that vapour from e-cigarettes – which produce no smoke – is harmful if inhaled passively.

Public Health England recently stated: ‘The health risks of passive exposure to electronic cigarette vapour are... likely to be extremely low.’

Abigail, 43, said: ‘It made us feel judged and worthless, that you are a lesser person if you smoke e-cigarettes. They seem to be seeking adopters who are perfect. But we are like lots of ordinary families.’

It made us feel judged and worthless, that you are a lesser person if you smoke e-cigarettes Abigail, 43, who tried to adopt with her partner Brian

She believed she and her husband had fallen victim to ‘over-zealous, politically correct’ social workers.

Similar accusations were made against social workers in 2012, when Rotherham Borough Council removed three children from foster carers who were Ukip members. The council later apologised.

Many councils cite guidance from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF), which recommends ‘users of e-cigarettes be considered smokers’ until concerns about the devices are cleared up.

However, other councils cite alternative guidance from the Fostering Network, which says that people ‘should not be prevented from fostering or applying because of e-cigarettes use’.

Professor Robert West, director of tobacco studies at University College London, said the policy was ‘badly thought out’ and would cause ‘significant harm’.

‘There are so many misconceptions about e-cigarettes that policy makers and the public are getting very confused,’ he added.

Fears: Many councils cite guidance from the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF), which recommends ‘users of e-cigarettes be considered smokers’ until concerns about the devices are cleared up

There are about 69,000 ‘looked after’ children in England, meaning they are in the care of a local authority.

The majority – just over 50,000 – are placed with foster parents. The number put up for adoption has risen by almost half since 2010 but only 3,580 – one in 20 – were placed for adoption in the year ending March last year.

Staffordshire County Council now says it does not have a policy of refusing to place children with e-cigarette users who did not smoke tobacco.

Councillor Mike Lawrence said: ‘Applications from people who use e-cigarettes are considered as long as they have not smoked tobacco for over a year.’

He also apologised to the couple, saying that ‘they were given the wrong information’ and pledged to make the situation clearer to other applicants.

At least 13 other councils across England state they will not place under-fives with e-cigarette users. They include Bury, Kirklees, North Tyneside, Durham, Warrington, West Sussex, Poole, Cornwall, Camden, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall and Dudley councils.

Many cite the BAAF, which is concerned that e-cigarettes ‘may act as a “gateway” for children and young people to start smoking’.