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  1. Voluntary adoption agencies
  2. What is a VAA?

What is a VAA?

VAAs are independent, not for profit organisations which are smaller than most statutory agencies and offer a personalised service to adopters from all backgrounds.

VAAs 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. There are 34 registered voluntary adoption agencies covering every region and country of the UK.

Voluntary Adoption Agencies (VAAs) have a wealth of experience in placing children with adoptive families. Some have been working for well over 100 years supporting all kinds of children and families. 

VAAs place almost a quarter of all children adopted each year in the UK and have expertise in finding families for children who have priority needs, including sibling groups, older children and those from BAME backgrounds.

VAAs provide lifelong support to adoptive families, their children and adopted adults through information, family days, counselling, therapeutic services and peer support. Many also support birth families and help with contact arrangements.

VAAs deliver exceptional services. 96% of VAAs have been rated highly or very highly by their national inspectorates (Ofsted (England), the Care Inspectorate (Scotland), and the Care Inspectorate Wales).

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    Thinking about adoption

    Are you thinking about adoption? Find out more about adoption and its processes on our website.

  • The adoption process

    The adoption process

    Find out how to begin your adoption journey and the processes involved in adopting.

  • Minister for Children and Families (England) strengthens new government’s commitment to children and adoption

    The Minister for Children and Families, Michelle Donelan MP, has written to all local authorities (LAs) to ensure that they are considering adoption and welcoming prospective adopters.

  • Find your nearest agency

    Use our agency finder tool to find your nearest voluntary adoption agency

  • Why adopt through a VAA?

    Why adopt through a VAA?

    Why chose a Voluntary Adoption Agency to start your adoption journey?

  • Caring for the Carer - A Body-Based Approach to Managing Work Stress

    Caring for the Carer - A Body-Based Approach to Managing Work Stress

    Expert-led training session with Jay Vaughan, a State Registered Dramatherapist, a Certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist and Somatic Experience Practitioner

  • You have to be well-off and/or have no debt to adopt

  • Birth families can get a child back after the court has made an adoption order

  • Research to be published on effective therapeutic intervention for older adopted children

    This #NationalAdoptionWeek, our focus at CVAA is on the importance of #AdopterChoice. Prospective adopters have many options when deciding on an agency, and one of many important things to consider is the availability of adoption support services.

  • You have to wait longer to adopt a child through a VAA as they don’t have the children awaiting adoption

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Registered office: CVAA, Gregory House, Coram Campus, 41 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ 

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