Closure of adoption agency Families For Children

It is with great sadness that Trustees have to announce that the voluntary adoption agency and charity Families for Children is to close. For almost 30 years the charity has placed over 700 children who now live in safe, secure and loving homes but it is no longer able to do so.

The last 3 years have been very challenging on a number of fronts, but especially the effects of the  development of Regional Adoption Agencies and the year-on-year reduction in the number of children who are receiving adoption as their permanency plan. Fewer children have been available from Local Authorities to place with families and many RAAs have sought to minimise external placements, which has meant that fewer children are placed with Voluntary Adoption Agencies even though children who wait the longest are still waiting to be placed. Meanwhile there is even greater demand on grants and trust funds that support charities, which is where Families for Children receive funds to continue to support families after an adoption order.

Although the Government has ensured that the Adoption Support Fund has been continued to support children and families to access much needed therapeutic support, this does not cover practical lower level day-to-day needs. VAAs have sought charitable funding to be able to offer those much needed services. With COVID, the Ukraine war and the rising cost of living, charitable funds have been targeted to particular needs, and charitable funds reduced during COVID, leaving more charities chasing the same few funders.

VAAs have a long history of placing children with more complex needs, children who are older or are part of larger sibling groups with adopted families. Since 2010, Families for Children has placed:

• 406 children with 308 adoptive families.
• 93 sibling groups of 3 or more children.
• 113 children 4 years and older

Families for Children has adopters waiting for those children with the greatest need but the increased time delays have badly affected our cash flow and we are not able to continue.

Families for Children will work with other VAAs and RAAs to enable families to receive future support for themselves as their children grow up.

Families for Children Trustees and CEO would like to thank adopters, staff, Patrons, and other agencies who have supported the charity over the years.