Revealed: Postcode lottery for children awaiting adoption as maps reveal councils with worst waiting times Maps reveal differences in adoption waiting times in neighbouring authorities 4,600 children waiting to be adopted in March last year, according to figures Ministers estimate an extra 600 adopters are needed each year Massive inequalities in the amount of time children have to wait to be adopted in neighbouring authorities have been revealed by the Government. Children in Kensington and Chelsea have to wait the longest to be adopted, with the average time taking nearly three years, according to Government figures. Meanwhile, children in Wolverhampton and Lambeth, in London, on average have to wait for two-and-a-half years. Maps published by the Department for Education reveal the alarming disparity for how long children on adoption lists had to wait, with some authorities taking double the time of their neighbour, according to information released today as the Government launched its new online service in a bid to support prospective adopters and tackle the backlog of cases. Adoption: Maps published by the Government have revealed the disparity in waiting times for children on adoption waiting lists in neighbouring authorities Edward Timpson, Minister for Children and Families, said: 'Every child deserves a loving home, but too many children are waiting too long. I want to encourage everyone thinking about adopting to take the first steps to offering a child the love and stability that they so desperately need. In March last year there were 4,600 children waiting to be adopted, but ministers have warned an extra 600 adopters are needed each year to keep up with the growing number of children waiting to be adopted. A further 3,000 adopters are needed to tackle the backlog of children waiting for homes. Family: The maps have been released as the Government launched its new online service to support prospective adopters and tackle the backlog of cases (file picture) South East: While there is a high concentration of high waiting times in London, other parts of the area fare better London: A number of authorities in the capital had an average waiting time of 692 to 1,082 days Research published today has revealed a concentration of authorities in London - including Barnet, Haringey and Hackney - and the North West of England - including Manchester, Liverpool and Lancashire - where children waited between 692 and 1,082 days to move in with an adoptive family after entering care. Kensington and Chelsea - 1,082 days Wolverhampton - 936 Lambeth - 933 East Riding of Yorkshire - 885 Swindon - 881 Coventry - 869 Hackney - 868 Brent - 854 Waltham Forest - 847 Liverpool - 842 Children in authorities in the West Midlands - including Birmingham and Wolverhampton - and the South East of England - including Wiltshire and North Somerset - waited a similar amount of time, along with the East Riding of Yorkshire and Sunderland in the North East. The research published by the Government today has suggested more than 4million people in England would consider adopting, but are held back by myths as well as barriers in the system. Mr Timpson said it was hoped First4Adoption would make it easier for prospective adopters to find information. He said: I want no prospective parent to be in any doubt that the government, and the whole system, are on their side. For too long families have been deterred by baffling, over wieldy and unduly slow processes, or by myths around the types of families sought. There are lots of children out there, who need families, all over the country. Carol Homden, chief executive of children's charity Coram, which is jointly running First4Adoption with Coram Children's Legal Centre and Adoption UK, said: 'We know that there are many people in England who would consider giving a loving home to a child waiting to be adopted and want clear information about the process. First4Adoption has been set up to provide a much-needed first point of contact for people interested in adopting. For more information visit first4adoption.org.uk or contact the information line on 0300 222 0022. North: Authorities in the North West and the North East were found to have long waiting times North West: A number of authorities including Salford, Wigan and Manchester had long waiting times, although others including Bolton and Tameside had shorter times North East: While North Yorkshire, Darlington and South Tyneside had some of the best times in the country, Sunderland was among the worst West Midlands: Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton were all among the worst offenders, while Solihull and Leicestershire performed better West: Wiltshire and North Somerset had among the longest waiting times in the country