01244 390 938
01244 390 938
Adoption Matters is a children’s charity and one of the largest Voluntary Adoption Agencies (VAAs) in the UK. We recruit, train and support individuals and families as adopters and offer them ongoing support and training for as long as they need it.
Ofsted Outstanding since 2008, we are the ONLY adoption service in the North of England to achieve FIVE Ofsted Outstanding ratings in a row.
We are an independent organisation and our priority is to find stable, loving homes for children through adoption and Early Permanence. What is a VAA and why choose to adopt through a VAA?
In May 2024, we launched our not-for-profit fostering agency, Foster Care Matters.
For over 76 years, Adoption Matters has provided support to adopted adults and birth families.
Ofsted Outstanding since 2008, we are the ONLY adoption service in the North of England to be rated Ofsted Outstanding FIVE times in a row.
We cover a large geographical area in the UK, including the whole of the North of England, parts of Wales, Stoke, Staffordshire and Shropshire. Check our coverage map here for further information.
What is a Voluntary Adoption Agency (VAA)? VAA’s are independent, not for profit organisations offering a personalised service to adopters from all backgrounds. We work in partnership with Local Authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies across the whole of the UK to find families for children in care who are unable to stay with their birth relatives. Adoption Matters is also a registered children’s charity.
Hear from some adoptive parents about why they chose to adopt through a VAA.
We offer an innovative support service through our Centre for Adoption Support, which is a unique service supporting adoption and permanency to families, Regional Adoption Agencies, Local Authorities and education professionals.
Our Therapy Service also provides a personalised Therapeutic intervention based on a structured assessment.
Our teams are highly experienced in supporting Early Permanence. From 2014 to January 2024, we delivered a Concurrent Planning Service in the North West in partnership with another VAA Caritas Care.
The service grew to be the largest of its kind in the UK placing over 187 children in early permanence placements. The service led the way in the Early Permanence arena and helped pave the way for many of the services across the country. In January 2024, due to the changing adoption landscape, our concurrent planning service teams moved back in-house bringing a wealth of experience into on early permanence.
View our latest Ofsted Report 2023 and our Statement of Purpose 2022.
Our teams are all permanent members of staff and we have very low staff turnover. Some of our colleagues have celebrated 20, 30 and 40 years service in the last few years. This stability in our workforce allows our families to build strong, ongoing relationships throughout their journey with us.
At Adoption Matters, we refer to our colleagues as our ‘work family’ and despite considerable growth over the last few years, we haven’t lost the friendly team ethos of helping each other when needed. We have a staff well-being charter and a number of trained Mental Health First Aiders across the organisation.
At Adoption Matters we believe that children’s welfare and needs are paramount. We aim for every child to grow up in a secure and loving family who will best meet their long-term needs and help them to reach their full potential. In order to do this and in recognition of the lifelong impact of adoption, the organisation provides a comprehensive adoption service for all of the parties involved, offering support and advice to prospective adopters, adoptive families, children, adopted children, adults and birth relatives. We also provide information, support and intermediary service to adopted people and birth relatives.
We undertake to treat every case fairly on its individual merits. Adoption Matters aims to be honest and realistic in all our communications.
We strive to ensure equality of opportunity, both for our adoptive families and amongst our Staff and Trustees, regardless of gender, race, religion, culture, heritage, age, disability or sexuality.
We aim to continually develop and improve our services and increase engagement with our service users, using their feedback and suggestions to inform future developments.
We maintain strong family values and a compassionate, empathetic approach within all of the work that we do, embracing equally those who have religious beliefs of any denomination and those who do not.
We work within a culture of respect and acceptance, treating everyone who engages with the agency fairly, professionally and with respect to people’s right to confidentiality.
Hear from adoptive parents on why they chose to adopt with a Voluntary Adoption Agency.
Comments from our latest Ofsted inspection report:
A copy of our full Complaints Procedure is available upon request.
The agency is a learning organisation, using feedback and challenge to drive forward improvement.
Adoption Matters is a children’s charity and one of the largest Voluntary Adoption Agencies in the UK. Rated Oftsed 'Outstanding' since 2008.
