Same-sex couples now make up a record one in seven of the total approved to adopt children, family court figures reveal.

The importance of gay adoption is growing as numbers of heterosexual couples going through the system fell to their lowest level in six years.

It follows a ruling by Supreme Court judges in 2013 that children should only be adopted as a last resort.

Since then the number of couples cleared to go through the final stages of the adoption process has fallen. In the year to June, the number of heterosexual couples in the queue dropped 12 per cent to 3,561, the Ministry of Justice figures show.

Same-sex couples now make up a record one in seven of the total approved to adopt children, family court figures reveal (file photo)

Meanwhile same-sex couples increased 13 per cent to a record high of 587, demonstrating how they make up a fast-rising share of those who pass the scrutiny of social workers for final approval.

The statistics also reveal the number of applications for adoption orders has fallen to its lowest level since 2013.

In a further blow to the Government’s drive to get children out of foster homes, the total achieving adoption has plunged by 20 per cent over the last two years to 4,350.

This is out of 72,670 children under state care, with these youngsters suffering higher chances of failing at school, having poor health, and growing up to unemployment and crime.

Gay adoption has steadily risen since Labour’s 2002 Adoption Act made it for possible gay people to adopt as a couple for the first time. Numbers have increased further since same-sex marriage was introduced three years ago.

John Simmonds of the CoramBAAF adoption think tank said: ‘As civil partnerships and same-sex marriages have become more established this has probably increased the confidence of the 152 local authorities and 30 voluntary adoption agencies in terms of recruiting, preparing and assessing gay couples as being suitable.’

The importance of gay adoption is growing as numbers of heterosexual couples going through the system fell to their lowest level in six years (file photo)

But author on adoption and the family Patricia Morgan said: ‘Mixed-sex couples are becoming disillusioned.

There is always another fad among social workers, and another reason why children should not be adopted, which is far better for them than being brought up by the state.

Mixed-sex couples find it hard to swallow the political correctness that is forced on them, and hard to go through the many hoops put in their way.’

The dip in overall adoption numbers began in 2013 after Lady Hale, now President of the Supreme Court, blocked the adoption of a three-year-old girl from a deeply troubled family and ruled the measure can only be used as ‘a last resort’ when ‘nothing else will do.’

The ruling led to social workers putting fewer children forward for adoption. Over the past 25 years adoption numbers have fluctuated repeatedly from decisions taken by social work leaders, who favour other ways of helping children.

Medical breakthroughs in fertility options for heterosexual couples could also be a factor behind the fall in the number applying to adopt.