The Coram Institute for Children has been awarded the Adoption and Special Guardianship (ASG) Data Collection contract by the Department for Education (DfE) for a period of two years from 1 March 2026, with potential to extend for a further two years. Coram had previously been delivering the management service for the data collection since 2019, and this is the third time Coram has been successful in being awarded this contract.
Coram will continue and expand on the existing management service to deliver the ASG Data Collection, which includes the collection, analysis, and publication of a quarterly adoption and special guardianship statistical release, and the setting up and establishing a new annual collection for Adoption Support data.
The data collected is used to provided information about children and prospective adopters in the adoption process, children subject to an SGOs, and children accessing adoption support, to better inform decision-making at national, regional and local level. The work will sit at the core of the newly-established Coram Institute for Children’s work generating robust evidence, insight and analysis to drive positive change for children and families.
Coram will continue to work closely with the DfE, Adoption England, local authorities, regional adoption agencies, and voluntary adoption agencies across England to collect, analyse and publish national, regional and local trends on Adoption, Special Guardianship, and Adoption support, strengthening Coram’s long‑standing role in supporting evidence‑based improvement across children’s social care.
Dame Carol Homden, Coram CEO, said: “High‑quality data is essential to improving outcomes for children who need permanence and stability. This work will sit at the heart of the Coram Institute for Children, bringing together our long‑standing expertise in evidence, practice and policy. As we mark 2026 as the centenary of legal adoption in England and Wales, we are proud to be continuing to support the sector and government with trusted insight that enables adoption and special guardianship systems work better for children and families.”