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Resources list

Below we have brought together a list of resources for professionals.

Key CVAA Publications

Best practice guides and training resources

Click here for the latest training sessions on offer from CVAA focused on a range of practice areas.

Maintaining relationships

ARC Adoption NE – ARCBOX – a digital life story tool for children and families

Family Futures – Executive Summary of Framework for Contact for children who are fostered, in special guardianship/ kinship care placements or adopted

National Adoption Service / AFA Cymru – Good practice Guide on contact

PAC-UK – Research briefing on maintaining relationships with birth families

The fostering – Network Top tips for foster carers regarding your role in supporting positive contact for children and young people in your care

Research in Practice – resources for practitioners working on post-adoption contact plans

Research in Practice – learning resources and events on contact

Research in Practice – Life Story Work, Practice Tool

Matching

Adoption England – National Practice Standards for Matching

Adoption England – AFDiT Transracial Adoption Framework

Coram – Guide to matching

Early permanence

Adoption England – Early Permanence Resources for Professionals

Coram Centre for Early Permanence – Good practice guidance

Coram Centre for Early Permanence – answers to FAQs from practitioners

Adoption Support

Adoption England – Adoption support resources

Adopt Cymru – Adoption support good practice guide

Department for Education – Guidance on the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund

Coram Baaf – Blueprint for adoption support

Family Adoption Links – Centre for Adoption Support videos  covering a range of issues for adopters and professionals

Adoption UK – Report on Strengthening Families: improving stability for adopted children

Research in Practice – Reflections on accessing care records 

Key external reports and resources

Statistics and data

 Coram Children’s and Social Care Secretariat data (ASG data):

  • Coram-i provides quarterly data updates looking at timeliness of adopter approvals and of linking and matching.
  • ASG Data Reports

Department for Education (DfE) – Children looked after in England including adoption: 2022 to 2023

Adoption UK – The Adoption Barometer 2024

Home for Good – Statistics on Children in Care

  • Provides detailed statistics on children in care, including those waiting for adoption, with a focus on different regions within the UK.
  • Home for Good – Statistics

Adoptions in Wales, 2022-23

  • Offers statistics and reports on adoptions in Wales, including the number of children adopted and their average waiting times.
  • Adoptions in Wales data

Northern Ireland – Children in Care Statistics

Scotland

Support and advocacy organisations

CoramBAAF (British Association for Adoption and Fostering)

  • Provides resources, training, and support for adoption professionals and prospective adopters.
  • CoramBAAF

Adoption UK

  • A charity providing support, community, and advocacy for adoptive families.
  • Adoption UK

PAC-UK

  • PAC-UK offers a wide range of services to children and families, including comprehensive training workshops and seminars for adoptive parents.
  • PAC-UK

You Can Adopt

  • A national campaign aiming to raise awareness of adoption and encourage more people to consider it.
  • You Can Adopt

Home for Good

  • A Christian charity seeking to find homes for children in the care system by mobilizing the church community.
  • Home for Good

New Family Social

  • A UK network for LGBT+ adoptive and foster families, providing support and advocacy.
  • New Family Social

First4Adoption

  • Offers advice and information for people interested in adopting in England.
  • First4Adoption

Beacon house

  • Beacon House provides a range of assessments and therapies for children and young people, families, and adults, who are experiencing mental health difficulties, emotional and behavioural problems, and relationship conflict.
  • Beacon House

Children and Trauma Community Hub

  • Children and Trauma Community Hub (formerly The Adopter Hub) is an online platform providing support to adopters, foster carers, special guardians, and the professionals that work with them.
  • CATCH

National Association of Therapeutic Parents

  • The National Association of Therapeutic Parents (NATP) is a helpful space for adoptive parents that provides support, education, and resources as you move along on your parenting journey.
  • National Association of Therapeutic Parents