Coram is one of the country’s leading charities working to find families for children. We run one of the country’s largest regional adoption agencies Coram Ambitious for Adoption, we provide ongoing support for adoptive families, and we deliver national adoption activity days, family-finding events that have a 1 in 4 success rate in matching children waiting with approved adopters.
Dr Carol Homden CBE, Chief Executive of Coram, said:
“In London alone there are over 200 children waiting to be adopted in London and we need more adopters to come forward from a wider range of backgrounds. Behind every statistic there is a real child who has suffered the distress of family separation and who desperately needs the security of a permanent, loving home. These children cannot wait.
“We are asking people to consider whether they could offer a loving and permanent home to a child in need. Adopting a child is one of the greatest challenges that any parent will face but it is also one of the most rewarding. Whatever your background, religion, ethnicity or family circumstances, if you can offer a loving and stable home to a child, then we want to hear from you.”
During National Adoption Week, Coram will be involved in the following activities:
Tuesday 13 October: Adoption Information Evening – Coram Ambitious for Adoption are hosting a free information session about adoption online via Zoom. These events are a great chance to learn general information about adoption and how to adopt through Coram. Find out more here.
Tuesday 13 October: Coram’s CEO, Dr Carol Homden, met with the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, for a Q&A on the government’s ambitions for adoption. Read more and watch the video.
Wednesday 14 October: “Implementing early permanence in a challenging context” – a seminar hosted by Her Honour Judge Carol Atkinson, that will look at best practice around early permanence (where children in care may be placed in a home at the earliest opportunity by being placed with adopters who are also approved as foster carers, who initially foster the child and may become their adopters once the court proceedings have been concluded.)
Coram has also featured prominently in Metro coverage of adoption over the last week, including a piece with comment from Coram CEO, Dr Carol Homden, on the myths that might prevent potential adopters coming forward. On the common perception that the adoption process is very long Carol said: “the adoption process doesn’t usually last that much longer than the time people spend preparing to have a baby”, adding “the assessment process is actually six months, from the moment you make your registration of interest. It will be a little while – sometimes very quick, sometimes longer – for you to be matched with a child that’s right for the family”. Carol also highlighted the “wealth of post adoption support” available.
Dr. John Simmonds, CoramBAAF’s Director of Policy, Research and Development, contributed to an article on How to tell children they are adopted, recommending telling children at an early age and also addressing, in an age appropriate way, the reasons why they were adopted. John also commented on the reasons why children come into the adoption system and addressed the topic of transracial adoption, calling for a “sensitive appraisal of the child’s heritage” as well as an awareness of the racism and discrimination that persists in society and the need to support children with any issues they may face.
Maggie Davies, one of the adoption managers at Coram Ambitious for Adoption, was featured in article on How to Tell People You’re Adopting a Child in which she recommends talking “about the positives about adopting – wanting to be parents, children who are waiting for adoption, when you have a family established and home to offer a child”. In another article on the increasing importance of social media Maggie cautioned, “putting photos and info about adopted children on social media runs the risk of birth family members seeing these and trying to trace. This could be disruptive to the adoptive placement and the child.”
Thinking of starting your adoption journey?
Coram is an outstanding voluntary adoption agency. We welcome people from a whole range of backgrounds with different life experiences – and this National Adoption Week, we’d love to hear from you.