Coram is one of three organisations to be awarded a share of the government grant funding to transform children’s services in their areas. Coram will use the funding within its consultancy service Coram-i to support local authorities to make better use of data to understand the needs of children in their care.
Renuka Jeyarajah-Dent, Director of Operations at Coram said: “We are delighted to receive this innovation grant, which aims to promote the placement of children who cannot live at home with alternative families who can look after them for the long term. The project will focus on long term fostering and make sure that the best placement is actively pursued to best meet the needs of the child.
“Coram has been providing services to children in care since 1739 and its partnership work with local authorities has evidenced considerable impact when data is used to promote efficiency. Behind every number there is a child and as long as responses are not mechanistic then data and quality are very much related.
“This new innovation project will sit with Coram-i led by its MD, Kevin Yong. Coram-i is already working with a number of local authorities and its methodologies have been developed multi-professionally and in partnership with local authorities with the belief that the best improvement work is generated by working together. There will be four local authorities actively involved in this project and confirmation of their participation is being formalised now that grant award has been confirmed.”
Edward Timpson, Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families said: “It is fantastic to see the range of projects funded as part of the innovation programme and it is clear to me that this work is helping to transform children’s services. We know that children thrive when the professionals who care for them are given the freedom to turn their passion and expertise into providing life-changing support.
“The department has worked with each one of these projects to look at what we can learn from their ideas, and it is good to see that many of them will continue to support vulnerable children and families in the future.”
Useful links
Visit our dedicated Coram-i site to find out more about our services
Read a report on the projects on Children & Young People Now