Service Level Agreements

Service Level Agreements for a full intercountry Information and Advice service are a comprehensive offer open to all local authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs). This is a full service statutory duty provided, on your behalf,  from the point of enquiry. We can then contract with your enquirers directly from the point of application until a child enters the UK with their adopters. The service includes provision for first time adopters, adopting again, and kinship applicants or those who have already identified (and sometimes adopted) the child abroad.  As of July 2023, 144 local authorities partnered with Coram IAC to deliver this service on their behalf and numbers are growing.

Coram IAC's specialist knowledge of adoption procedures and practices in different countries and our involvement in the adoption application up to the time the child arrives in the UK brings clear casework benefits, and in addition reduces costs to the partner Local Authority / Regional Adoption Agency by eliminating the need to train and support staff to deliver this complex and niche service.

Coram IAC works with partner adoption agencies the North West of England (Adoption Matters and Nugent Adoption), the North East of England (ARC Adoption North East), and the South West of England (CCS Adoption) who provide more localised services within the Intercountry Adoption Regional Adoption Agency framework. In such cases the Registration of Interest is taken by Coram IAC who retain overall responsibility for the case.

Under this service Coram IAC undertakes the following work on behalf of the Local Authority/Regional Adoption Agency:

• An unlimited number of enquirers, including provision of an information pack and attendance at an Information Day and the conduct of an unlimited number of counselling interviews where indicated;
• Work in both Stages One and Two covering Statutory checks, Preparation Workshops, Assessment, Adoption Panel, DfE administration and support during waiting for all applicants, including those from prospective kinship adopters. 
• Support at matching and following placement as outlined above for the applications approved by Coram IAC, including a post placement visit and access to adoption support workshop.

The cost of an annual contract for these services is £7,167 plus VAT.

 It is also possible for a Local Authority / Regional Adoption Agency to contract for additional services to be provided by Coram IAC including:

• Post approval service for prospective adopters for whom the Local Authority has already approved and who are awaiting a match. Coram IAC will undertake the review of suitability of waiting adopters, prepare and assess for change of country if indicated and present the change of country assessment to the LA’s Panel. Coram IAC will support the PAPs through the matching stage and until the child returns with them to the UK.
• Where the child does not enter the UK with a full and final order, monitoring and reviewing the child’s placement and reporting to the Court, or where the child is placed on an interim basis pending the making of an adoption order in the State of origin, visiting and preparing reports for the relevant foreign authorities.

The cost of these services is by case.

For further information please contact our Contracts Business Support:  Polly.Greenan@coramiac.org.uk