Coram is an outstanding independent adoption agency working across Greater London and the surrounding areas.
Coram has over 50 years’ experience in finding permanent loving families for children needing adoption. Our adoption service is rated outstanding by Ofsted and we are cited as a ‘centre for excellence’ for our child-led approach, our partnerships with local authorities, and our excellent post-adoption support.
Our adoption teams are friendly, experienced and very familiar with the difficulties of children who have been in care. We support families through the adoption process and beyond, and we are highly experienced in helping new adoptive families adjust.
Support for as long as you need us
We recognise that adoptive families and their children may need support of different kinds as their children grow. We are there for families throughout the process and afterwards – for as long as you need us.
Coram offers a range of support services after adoption, such as specially adapted parenting skills training, social events for adoptive families and support groups for adopters.
We are Ambitious for Adoption
Coram works across London in partnership with local authorities to deliver the Ambitious for Adoption regional adoption agency for children in their care waiting to be adopted, including Bromley, Hillingdon, Waltham Forest, City of London, Harrow, Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, Redbridge. We also work with the Borough of Slough.
In addition, we consider potential families looking to adopt from across the capital.
Visit our where we work page to find out if we cover your area.
Our latest Ofsted praises our work with local authorities:
We are dedicated
to achieving the loving home that every child waiting for adoption deserves
We are ambitious
about ensuring that more families who can provide the ongoing support a child needs are prepared and supported throughout their adoption journey
We are determined
that adopted young people should actively participate, enabling them to make their own experiences, and those of other adopted children, better
Our expertise
Coram Ambitious for Adoption is part of Coram, a collection of specialist organisations that help more than a million children, young people, professionals and families every year.
Our collective expertise in the adoption sector ensures we are at the forefront of adoption practice. We work with adoption professionals and local authorities all over the UK, offering training and support to help them develop their skills and knowledge.
Across Coram we:
- Develop practice guidance
- Disseminate research
- Share best practice
We strive to keep adoption at the top of the political agenda and in the public eye and seek to influence policy-makers to ensure that children’s best interests are represented in policy reform. We are a strategic partner of the Department for Education (DfE) and were involved in the development of the Government’s National Adoption Action Plan aimed at speeding up adoption. We are also a part of the National Adoption Implementation Group and National Adoption Recruitment Forum.
How we do it
CoramBAAF
CoramBAAF is the national membership organisation for social work professionals, foster carers and adopters. It is the UK’s largest network of adoption agencies and individuals, and Europe’s largest publisher in adoption and fostering, with around 300 books in print in their bookshop.
Coram Centre for Early Permanence
The Coram Centre for Early Permanence is dedicated to providing more children in care proceedings with the opportunity to live with their forever family at the earliest possible stage. Our Early Permanence Network supports the development of good practice through peer support and knowledge sharing across the UK.
Early Permanence Quality Mark
Coram has developed the Quality Mark in Early Permanence as an independently assessed tool to help agencies develop their practice on the basis of nationally agreed criteria. This forms part of the national strategy to achieve consistency in the delivery of early permanence across the country.
Coram-i
Coram-i works with local authorities so they are better equipped to achieve permanency for looked after children.
Connections across the UK
Coram Ambitious for Adoption is an active member of national professional groups and forums, including First4Adoption, CoramBAAF, Adoption UK, We Are Family and PAC-UK.
