On the other thing: I wouldn't call the school choice preference that you get for adopted children a 'benefit' of adopting.
Is it a 'benefit' of having a disabled child, or a child with SEN, that you get to send them to a school that meets their needs (through being named on EHCP)?
Is it a 'benefit' of having bad sight, that you get to wear glasses?
Is it a 'benefit' of having reduced mobility, that you get to use a wheel chair?
No, obviously the wheelchair/glasses/school-that-meets-the-child's-needs is not a benefit of having the need. It is just something that meets your needs and hopefully allows you to see like other people/have some mobility like other people/access education like other people.
The preference that PLAC get in school choice is an acknowledgement of their needs, and the fact that the best chance for meeting their needs (i.e. enabling them to access education just like any other child) is to let the parents choose the most suitable school.
I know that many people do not recognise that PLAC have this need. Many people think that once adopted, children don't have any special extra needs anymore. Unless there is something specific that would then be addressed via the appropriate channel e.g. EHCP.
But to show just how much PLAC struggle to access education, Adoption UK has done some research. See e.g. from the Guardian last July:
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The report finds that many parents are positive about the way their children’s schools and teachers are working with them. “But that must be considered alongside the fact that almost a quarter of respondents had been told by their child’s education setting that they were not able to meet their child’s needs because of funding constraints.”
The Adoption UK survey confirmed previous findings that adopted children are 20 times more likely to be permanently excluded. Almost three in 10 (29%) in the survey had experienced internal exclusion – 10% indicated that this happened on a weekly basis.
A quarter of adopted children refused to go to school or truanted during 2018, and 30% were bullied because of their adopted status. Of those parents home-educating, 80% were not doing so out of choice and would prefer their child were at school.
“While the majority of education settings seem willing to listen to adoptive parents and work with them to support their children, lack of training and lack of funding will hinder progress being made,” the report said. “Schools and teachers need to be properly resourced in order to ensure that children who have not had an equal start in life are given an equal chance in life.”
Unquote
So. 20 times more likely to be excluded. A quarter - 1 in 4 - can't have their needs met in school. It is very important for these children that they get to go to the right school. Not as a benefit. But to increase their chances to access education like all children should be able to.