The British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) has closed with immediate affect removing one of the key organisations involved in campaigning for children in care.
What is left of the BAAF will be merged with Children’s Adoption Charity Coram and continue to provide support in particular areas such as membership administration of the new CoramBAAF Adoption & Fostering Academy as well as research and development. The magazine Be My Parent won’t survive the closure.
While the closure is happening with immediate affect in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to exist for a limited period which will allow time for services to be transferred to alternative organisations.
The Scottish government has decided to transfer activities from the Scotland adoption register to a new national adopter information helpline which will be operated by the St Andrew’s Children’s Society according to reports.
A spokesperson for the organisation blamed ‘significant changes’ and ‘economic conditions’ for the closure though the causes for the former were unclear. The closure is likely to result in some limitations to the support on offer for adopted children in the future and put more pressure on associated charities to continue to provide help to vulnerable children.