Local authorities will be ordered to give updates on the numbers of children placed for adoption in a new drive to be launched imminently by David Cameron.

Under proposals, social workers would be set strict six-month deadlines to finalise adoption proceedings for children, with poorly performing councils ‘named and shamed'.

The average time between a child being taken into care and successfully placed for adoption is two years and seven months.

In his Manchester conference speech earlier this month, David Cameron announced a ‘new focus on the 65,000 children in care.'

Pledging to ‘end this scandal',  the prime minister cited figures showing only 60 out of 3,660 children in care under the age of one were adopted last year.

Subject to consultation, extra money would also be given through the pupil premium to support children who spend time in care at both school and university.