What Works in Achieving Adoption for Looked After Children

The Coram Centre for Early Permanence (CCEP) works with local authorities and independent adoption agencies to develop and share expertise with the aim of ensuring more children can live with their potential permanent carers at the earliest possible stage of the care process

This review supports Coram and Barnardo’s partnership initiative, which provides consultancy and support to local authorities with the aim of increasing the number of children adopted from care and reducing delays in making and implementing decisions about adoptive placements. In this report, DMSS researchers look at the evidence relevant to achieving successful adoption for looked after children. Key questions: Does adoption have better outcomes for looked after children than other options? If so, are too few children being adopted from care and are there particular groups of children missing out on the benefits of adoption? What’s the impact of delay in making and implementing adoption decisions? What are the costs of different placements? What needs to happen?