Re the Government adoption league tables:
Carol Homden, Coram Chief Executive said: “Anything that helps us to gain new insight into the blockages in the adoption process is to be welcomed.
Carol Homden, Coram Chief Executive said: “Anything that helps us to gain new insight into the blockages in the adoption process is to be welcomed.
“Coram’s work shows that adoption delays are not inevitable.
“If this information helps to show where improvements may lie and encourages local authorities to partner voluntary adoption agencies like Coram, together we can ensure delays in adoption become a thing of the past.
“Evidence of this is Coram’s work with Harrow Council, where no children are waiting to be adopted and there are significant cost savings for the local authority.”
Ends.
Coram, the UK’s first children’s charity, champions what matters most for children through adoption, parenting, creative therapies and health and social education in schools.
Coram runs one of the nation’s leading voluntary adoption agencies:
• Highest adoption success rate in the country
• Specialist in finding families for older children, siblings and children from BME backgrounds, otherwise deemed ‘hard to place’
• Pioneers of concurrent planning. Only adoption agency in the country to do so. This is when a baby or child in care is found suitable foster carers who are ready and willing to adopt them later, if adoption is decided to be the best option for the child’s long term future. It provides consistency and prevents a child from the upheaval of being moved between families while a decision is being reached about their future.
• Works with local authorities to share expertise and help improve their adoption services. Has run a pioneering adoption partnership with Harrow Council for the past four years which has led to no children waiting for adoption and a saving of £440,000 for the local authority.
• Provides careful preparation and training, and lifetime support for adoptive families.
Press contacts: Sue Massey, Head of Marketing and Communications 020 7520 0346 or
mob: 07824 312418 or sue@coram.org.uk Rachel Jasper, Coram Marketing & Communications, on 020 7520 0427 or rachelj@coram.org.uk
Notes to editors:
Coram - www.coram.org.uk
Coram’s adoption service has one of the highest placement success rates in the country. The charity has been pioneering Concurrent Planning for more than 10 years, a service which places babies with specialist foster carers while their long-term future is being decided. This is so that babies who cannot return to their birth parents can be adopted by their carers, avoiding unnecessary and often traumatic disruption.
* Coram’s adoption partnership with Harrow Council, recently cited by Children's Minister Tim Loughton as a 'blueprint' for other local authorities, has ensured the successful placement of every child needing adoption within six months and annual cost savings of £440,000.
Coram, founded in 1739 as the UK’s first children charity, provides intensive support for more than 15,000 children, young people and families each year. It reaches a further 800,000 children through its health and social education programmes in schools nationwide. Coram’s expert services include adoption, creative therapies, supported housing for care leavers and family and parenting support.