Bromley Council has joined forces with a number of other London local authorities to become part of a Regional Adoption Agency run by children’s charity Coram.

This brings together expertise to match more children waiting to be adopted more quickly with their new adoptive families.

‘Coram Ambitious for Adoption’ was launched earlier this year and is London’s first Regional Adoption Agency (RAA). It is now the first port of call for adoption enquiries on behalf of participating local authorities, as well as providing adoption support for all of its adoptive families. Judged Outstanding by Ofsted, Coram has more than 40 years’ experience in finding permanent loving families for vulnerable children.

Bromley’s move to a regional agency is as a result of the government’s introduction of RAAs across England to simplify the adoption process and ensure the voluntary sector and local authorities collaborate as effectively as possible to speed up the matching process. All local authorities across the country are expected to deliver adoption services through an RAA by March 2020.

This comes at a time when prospective adopters are urgently needed to come forward, with numbers falling across London by more than a quarter in the year to December 2018. Over the same period, the gap doubled between the number of approved adopters and children waiting to be adopted.

Councillor Peter Fortune Executive Member for Children, Education and Families said: “This is great news for potential adoptive parents and children awaiting adoption, as well as an exciting development for Bromley adoption services.  I am sure our partnership with Coram will transform adoption services for children and carers by offering wider choice and, therefore, more opportunities to achieve good matches which will mean that children will be able to settle more quickly into their permanent homes.”

Sue Lowndes, Managing Director of Coram Ambitious for Adoption said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Bromley Council, combining our skills and resources to enable the timely matching of children and adopters, and ensuring access to high quality adoption support.” 

Anyone considering adoption across London and surrounding areas is invited to attend one of the free information events to learn more about the process and support and guidance available to becoming a family and beyond. The next available date is 20 November; more information is at coramadoption.org.uk/adoption-events

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Notes for Editors:

  • Coram Ambitious for Adoption now provides adoption services for Bromley Council, alongside Harrow, Hillingdon, Redbridge, The City of London and Waltham Forest.
     
  • Coram’s adoption services were rated outstanding in its latest Ofsted inspection, and the charity was cited as a ‘centre for excellence’ for its child-led approach and excellent post-adoption support. 
     
  • *Adoption data published by the Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board in May 2019 shows that there were 220 children awaiting adoption in London and 160 approved adopters as of December 2018. This is a 27% decrease in the number of approved adopters compared to December 2017 and a 100% increase in the gap between approved adopters and children waiting to be adopted in the same period. cvaa.org.uk/asglb/data-on-adoption/

About Coram

  • Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity, supporting children to have the best possible chance in life since 1739. We support children and young people from their earliest days to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime. We help build their confidence; we help them to develop skills; we uphold their rights, we support practitioners in the areas of fostering and adoption and we find loving adoptive families for the most vulnerable children. For more information, please visit www.coram.org.uk

For media enquiries for Bromley, please contact Susie Clark in Corporate Communications, on 020 8461 7911 or email susie.clark@bromley.gov.uk

For further information from Coram, images and interviews: please contact: Emma Lamberton, Communications Manager at Coram at emma.lamberton@coram.org.uk / 0207 520 0427 / 07908 827908.

Published: 18th October 2019