New Adoption Agency For Cambridgeshire

31 October 2014, 06:00

A new agency has been set up in Cambridgeshire, to find more potential adopters for children in care.

Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption is a newly formed Voluntary Adoption Agency. It brings together social workers from Cambridgeshire County Council's previous adoption service and from the adoption charity Coram.

It is hoped by sharing resources the new agency will have greater capacity to reach out to new potential adopters and assess and approve them to provide a loving secure home to children in the Cambridgeshire area. 

The Minister for Children and Families Edward Timpson MP officially opened the new service yesterday at its new base in Cherry Hinton Road in Cambridge.

Mr Timpson,, who grew up with two adopted brothers, said: "The number of children adopted has increased hugely in the last year, but with thousands still waiting for a stable, loving home I know there's more that needs to be done.

"That's why it's great to see another adoption centre like Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption open their doors as a direct result of the government's investment, finding and helping potential adopters across the region."

Dr Carol Homden CBE said: "This is an incredibly exciting development.  For the first time in the adoption sector we have a different type of partnership which sees a statutory and voluntary sector player "opt in" to create an agency which brings together Recruitment and Assessment of adopters, Family Finding, Matching children with parents and Post Adoption Support.

"Evidence shows that forming permanent and secure loving relationships is key to improving children's wellbeing and life chances.  Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption is a response, enabled by central Government, to help greater numbers of children waiting to be adopted to have such an opportunity."

Cllr David Brown, Vice-Chairman of the Children and Young People Committee, Cambridgeshire County Council, said:   "It is crucial for children to have a secure home and a loving family setting in which they can develop and flourish. That's why I am so delighted we are part of this new exciting development which will see Cambridgeshire children finding permanent homes with caring and committed adopters.

"To be at the forefront of forging new partnerships particularly with such an outstanding voluntary organisation such as Coram is also very rewarding."