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| British Association for Adoption and Fostering | |
|---|---|
| Name | British Association for Adoption and Fostering |
| Abbreviation | BAfA |
| Formation | 1979 |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region served | United Kingdom |
| Membership | Adoption agencies, fostering agencies, social workers |
British Association for Adoption and Fostering The British Association for Adoption and Fostering is a United Kingdom membership charity that supports adoption and fostering practice across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, promoting standards for permanence planning and child welfare. The organisation interacts with national bodies such as Department for Education, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive, and engages with tribunals and inspectorates including Ofsted, Care Inspectorate (Scotland), and Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales.
Founded in 1979, the organisation emerged amid reform debates connected to the Children Act 1975, responses to inquiries like the Franks Report, and policy shifts influenced by cases scrutinised in the House of Commons and by panels chaired by figures from Royal Commission on Family Law. Early work paralleled campaigns by charities such as Barnardo's, NSPCC, and Coram while interfacing with professional bodies like the British Association of Social Workers and the Association of Directors of Children's Services. During the 1980s and 1990s the association responded to legislative changes including the Children Act 1989 and the Adoption and Children Act 2002, contributing evidence to committees of the House of Lords and to inquiries overseen by judges from the Family Division of the High Court of Justice.
The organisation’s mission emphasises improving outcomes for looked after children through permanence planning, aligning with standards advocated by UNICEF and informed by research from institutes such as the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London and the Institute of Education. Core objectives include promoting best practice among adoption agencies and fostering services, influencing legislation in forums including the Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights, and collaborating with charities like Samaritans, Coram Voice, and Action for Children to support children and families.
Activities encompass training programmes developed with academic partners such as the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and research units at King's College London, publication of practice guidance referenced by Ofsted and local authorities like Manchester City Council and Glasgow City Council, and convening conferences that attract speakers from institutions including the Nuffield Foundation, The Health Foundation, and the King's Fund. Services provided include advice lines used by social workers from Leicestershire County Council and Bristol City Council, quality assurance frameworks adopted by voluntary agencies such as PACT and Coram Family, and accreditation schemes comparable to standards used by Care Quality Commission.
Governance operates through a board composed of practitioners, legal advisers and academic representatives drawn from universities such as University of York and Durham University, solicitors from chambers connected to the Family Law Bar Association, and independent trustees including former civil servants from the Department for Education. The organisational model reflects charity law overseen by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and corporate registration practices observed by Companies House. Regional committees liaise with local directors of children's services from councils like Essex County Council and Westminster City Council.
The association commissions longitudinal studies with partners including the Nuffield Foundation, publishes policy briefings cited in debates in the House of Commons, and submits evidence to inquiries by the Children and Families Act 2014 committees and to panels convened by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Advocacy work engages with think tanks such as the Institute for Public Policy Research and the Policy Exchange, and the association contributes to national guidelines alongside bodies like the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the British Psychological Society.
Membership comprises local authority adoption services, independent fostering agencies including members of the Fostering Network and solicitors practising in family law registered with the Law Society of England and Wales. Professional development offerings include accredited courses run with higher education partners such as University of Birmingham, mentoring schemes linked to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and CPD events attended by safeguarding leads from trusts like the NHS England regional teams and by practitioners seconded from agencies like Barnardo's.
Funding sources include membership subscriptions, grants from foundations such as the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, commissioned contracts with local authorities including Camden Council and trusts funded by Big Lottery Fund awards, and project collaborations with research councils such as the Economic and Social Research Council. Strategic partnerships involve cross-sector work with organisations like Victim Support, Refugee Council, and international agencies including UNICEF UK and contribute to multi-agency initiatives with the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.
Category:Child welfare in the United Kingdom Category:Adoption in the United Kingdom Category:Fostering in the United Kingdom