I am interested in adopting
Our children come from many different backgrounds and ethnicities. Some are very young; some are older; some have brothers and sisters that they need to stay with; some have special needs or disabilities; many have experienced very difficult childhoods and have problems that they will need help to overcome; all of them will need unconditional love and support to help them flourish, assured by the knowledge that their new parents will always put them first.
How Can I Adopt?
Coram has dedicated adoption teams in London, East Midlands and East Anglia. Each team offers prospective adopters high quality training, assessment and support, and carefully match children in Local Authority care with adoptive families where we believe they will fit in well.
Our adoption teams offer all our families:
- Advice and support throughout the adoption process.
- Lifetime support: we are here for our adopters and their adopted children whenever they might need us.
- Referrals to specialist local services if a need arises.
- Support groups for adopted children and young people to help them to develop their confidence and social skills (East Midlands and Adopt Anglia)
- Parenting Skills Groups to develop positive parenting strategies to avoid conflict and help build attachments(London).
Next steps:
If you are interested in adopting through Coram, please click here to send us your details and our Adoption Team will contact you, or contact your nearest office (see Find out more...).
Who Can Adopt?
A child needs parents who can offer them the best love and support. We welcome applications from people who are committed to helping our children grow up feeling safe and happy. We welcome enquiries from:
- Single people
- Married couples
- Couples in committed, long-term relationships
- People from different ethnicities and religions
- Heterosexual and homosexual people
- People without children and those who are parents already
- Homeowners or those in rented accommodation
- People over the age of 21, who are UK residents and hold no criminal convictions against children
There are many children waiting for a family to adopt them, and we to find the right family to adopt them. Some adopters may have experienced difficulties in their lives – what we're interested in is how they coped with these experiences, and what they have to offer children as adoptive parents. We need people who are in good health, have energy, a capacity to understand children’s feelings, a sense of fun, and the motivation to persevere through difficult times.
Where We Work
We have offices in London, East Midlands and Cambridge, and are looking for adoptive parents and carers who live within:
- 35 miles north of central London and 20 miles south of central London
- Approximately one hour’s travelling time from Shepshed, East Midlands (Jn23 M1)
- A 50 mile radius of Cambridge.
Is Financial Support Available?
If you are employed, you are entitled to an adoption allowance and up to 12 months adoption leave (not all of it paid) when a child is placed in your care. You can also claim Child Benefit and in special circumstances – typically when a child has special difficulties or brothers and sisters – you may receive further financial support from the placing Local Authority.
What Support Does Coram Provide?
We offer you support from the very first time you contact us, right the way through to becoming an adoptive parent.
All our adoptive parents are given specialist training, both one-to-one and with other prospective adopters going through the same process, and have the chance to meet people who have previously adopted through Coram.
What’s more, our work doesn’t end once you have officially adopted your child. We continue to be available to support you, your adopted children and your family throughout your lives.
Why Choose Coram?
Coram's work addresses what matters most to children: to feel loved; to feel safe; to feel confident enough to make choices. Drawing on over 250 years of experience in protecting children’s futures, we only match children with adoptive families who we feel confident will give them the best start in life.
Coram is one of the oldest and most respected adoption services in the UK.
We continually research what works best when it comes to caring for vulnerable young children. In doing so, we have created our own approach to adoption that has led us to become known as one of the best adoption services in the country. Over 97% of Coram’s adoptions are successful, compared to a national average of *one in five adoptions breaking down. (*Prime Minister’s Review of Adoption, 2002)
The only way we can continue to provide this vital service to children is if people come forward as adopters.
If you are interested in adopting through Coram, please click here to send us your details and our Adoption Team will contact you, or contact your nearest office (see Find out more...).
