Adoption agencies across the east of England join forces to find families for vulnerable children

Local adoption agency St. Francis’ Children’s Society (SFCS), based in Woolstone, Milton Keynes, has come together with other adoption agencies in the region to help find loving families for vulnerable children.

The new partnership is formed of ten local authority and independent adoption agencies across the East of England, covering Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk and Northamptonshire. This new Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) also includes two other MK adoption providers, Milton Keynes Council and AdoptionPlus.

The initiative supports the Government’s drive to speed up the time it takes to find adopters for children waiting for a family. In the future, approved adoptive parents will be able to find out more quickly about children who are waiting for a family across the whole region rather than just in their local area.

The agencies also hope it will help to recruit more adopters for children who often wait longer to be placed with a family, including children who are part of a sibling group and children who come from a black or minority ethnic background.

Suzanne Strachan, Adoption Manager at SFCS said: “We are pleased to have joined our fellow partners in the Central East Regional Adoption Agency, and look forward to making many successful adoptive placements. Together, we will strive to continue improving outcomes for the most vulnerable children who are awaiting adoption.”

The group is hosting an information event in Cambridge on Saturday 4th February 2017, for anyone who is interested in adoption or wants to find out more. The event is being hosted by Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption, one of the agencies involved in the partnership: Coram Cambridgeshire Adoption, Lincoln House, The Paddocks Business Centre, 2nd Floor, Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge CB1 8DH.

Please contact sally.beaumont@coram.org.uk for more details regarding the event, or call the special information line on 0300 222 5718 to find out more.