“As a Centre for Early Permanence pioneering Concurrent Planning for the under twos to address the critical importance of stability from the earliest juncture, we welcome the prioritisation of high quality assessment for all permanence options and to early placement when needed to ensure children are properly supported within families through their lives.
“When they have experienced such profound adversity in infancy that they need a new adoptive family, children not only need to be safe, they also need to feel safe if they are to recover from such trauma and this is a clear benefit of adoption according to children and young people themselves.
“100% of children and young people participating in a new survey conducted for independent adoption agencies1 state that they have an adult in their lives they can trust compared to 88% who agreed to the same question in the Understanding Society Survey 2010/20112.
“It is therefore particularly important to see this new commitment to enabling the voice of adopted children, as well as adopters, to inform the development of government policy so that we achieve consistency of adoption services, wider access to support, including through regional agencies, and greater cultural sensitivity and responsiveness of schools and wider society.”
As some of the children surveyed remarked: “I feel loved and cared for. I can speak to my adoptive parent about most things.” and, “I am happy. I have a whole family who make me feel part of it.”
Ends
Media contact:
Kate Summerside. Coram Group Head of Communications.
DD: 020 7520 0346 Mob: 07824 312418 / 07931 459803
Notes to editors:
1: Adopted Children and Young People’s Survey. Commissioned by 29 Independent Adoption Agencies. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th January and 17th February. Total sample size was 95 children, 61 took part in an on-line survey, 34 took part in focus groups. The age range of the group was 11 – 18 years.
2: Understanding Society report 2011 https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/about/bhps-in-understanding-society
3: About Coram
Coram, the UK’s oldest children’s charity and outstanding adoption agency has been finding new ways to help children for 275 years. In 2015, we will touch the lives of a million children in the UK. Coram equips young people with the skills they need to make healthy life choices; supports their voice if they are in the care system and not being heard; and gives them the confidence they need to make their way in the world.
Twitter @Coram