{{Short description|Children's charity in England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=September 2025}} {{Advert|date=November 2023}} thumb|The entrance to the Coram Campus
The '''Thomas Coram Foundation for Children''' is a large children's charity in London operating under the name '''Coram'''. It was founded by eighteenth-century philanthropist Captain Thomas Coram who campaigned to establish a charity that would care for the high numbers of abandoned babies in London, setting up the Foundling Hospital in 1739 at Lamb's Conduit Fields in Bloomsbury. By the 1950s social change had led to the closure of the hospital and the charity adopted the broader name Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in 1954.
The charity acts as an adoption agency in addition to a wide range of educational and advisory services for children. It retains part of its original site in London but moved its heritage collections into the care of The Foundling Museum in 1998.
== History == {{Main|Foundling Hospital}}
The Foundling Hospital was established by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram, who was appalled to see abandoned babies and children starving and dying in the streets of London.<ref name="LUCAS">{{cite book |last=Lucas |first=John |title=The Magic of London's Museums |year=1979 |publisher=Exley Publications |isbn=0905521234 |pages=142–143 }}</ref> In 1742–1745 a building was erected north of Lamb's Conduit Street in Bloomsbury. Boys were housed in the West Wing of the new home. The East Wing was built in 1752 to house girls.
The artist William Hogarth was a governor of the Foundling Hospital and donated some of his work to the foundation as well as designing its coat of arms.<ref name="LUCAS"/> The art collection also contains works by Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Joshua Reynolds, including a full-length portrait of Thomas Coram, along with musical scores by Handel including one of three fair copies of ''Messiah''.<ref name="LUCAS"/>
In 1926, the governors of the hospital decided to relocate it out of the city, initially to Redhill, Surrey, and then to Berkhamsted<ref>{{cite book |last=Weir |first=Sue |title=Weir's guide to medical museums in Britain |year=1993 | publisher=Royal Society of Medicine Services |isbn= |pages=115–116}}</ref> in 1935. It then closed as a children's home in the 1950s, the buildings becoming Ashlyns School, a local authority school not related to the charity.<ref name="hastie">{{cite book | title = Berkamsted: An Illustrated History | first = Scott | last = Hastie| publisher = Alpine Press | location = Kings Langley | year = 1999 |page=57| isbn = 0-9528631-1-1}}</ref>
The Foundling Hospital was renamed the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in 1954.<ref>{{EW charity|312278|Thomas Coram Foundation for Children (formerly Foundling Hospital)}}</ref>
== Activities and services == Coram's headquarters are at Brunswick Square in London.<ref>{{cite web |title=THOMAS CORAM FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN (FORMERLY FOUNDLING HOSPITAL): Contact Information |publisher=Charity Commission for England and Wales |url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/312278/contact-information |access-date=13 November 2023 |archive-date=28 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928054623/https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/312278/contact-information |url-status=live }}</ref> It operates as a registered voluntary adoption agency and fostering service and in July 2024, Ofsted rated it as "outstanding".<ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas Coram Foundation for Children|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/7/SC048496 |website=Ofsted|access-date=15 November 2023}}</ref>
=== Adoption and care === Coram Adoption is an independent adoption service working in London and the surrounding areas.<ref name="CAdopt">{{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.coramadoption.org.uk/about-us|website=Coram Adoption|access-date=27 April 2016|archive-date=21 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421142848/http://www.coramadoption.org.uk/about-us|url-status=live}}</ref> They also work in partnership with local authorities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Our local authority partnerships.|url=http://www.coram.org.uk/our-consultancy-partnerships/our-local-authority-partnerships|website=Coram|access-date=27 April 2016|archive-date=4 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504210716/http://www.coram.org.uk/our-consultancy-partnerships/our-local-authority-partnerships|url-status=live}}</ref> Their partnership with the London Borough of Harrow was the first use of the model.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evaluation of a new model of providing adoption services: the LBHarrow and Coram partnership|url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/completed/2009/rk6913/|website=School for Policy Studies|publisher=University of Bristol|access-date=27 April 2016|archive-date=30 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530151705/http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/completed/2009/rk6913/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Garboden|first1=Molly|title=Harrow and Coram partnership over adoption|url=http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2009/11/20/harrow-and-coram-partnership-over-adoption/|website=Community Care|access-date=27 April 2016|date=20 November 2009|archive-date=9 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809122326/http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2009/11/20/harrow-and-coram-partnership-over-adoption/|url-status=live}}</ref> Coram were also one of the pioneers of 'concurrent planning' (also known as 'foster to adopt'), and received government funding to become a 'National Centre of Excellence in Early Years Permanence' in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Richardson|first1=Hannah|title=Adoptive parents talk of baby joy after wait|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16208011|website=BBC News|access-date=27 April 2016|date=20 December 2011|archive-date=21 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821130308/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16208011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=More babies in care to receive a stable home more swiftly|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/more-babies-in-care-to-receive-a-stable-home-more-swiftly|website=Gov.uk|publisher=Department for Education|access-date=27 April 2016|date=6 July 2012|archive-date=8 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808222918/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/more-babies-in-care-to-receive-a-stable-home-more-swiftly|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2015 the British Association for Adoption and Fostering went into administration. Coram took over many of the services in England, offering a total of £40,000 and taking on 50 of the 135 employees. The membership, training and research organisation became CoramBAAF. The Independent Review Mechanism (England) was taken over by Coram Children's Legal Centre. The National Adoption Register for England is now run by First4Adoption (jointly run by Coram and Adoption UK).<ref name="CCBAAF">{{cite web|title=The sudden death of BAAF: How it happened and what it may mean for social work|url=http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2015/08/13/sudden-death-baaf-happened-may-mean-social-work/|website=Community Care|access-date=27 April 2016|date=15 August 2015|archive-date=23 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423114057/http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2015/08/13/sudden-death-baaf-happened-may-mean-social-work/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TSBAAF">{{cite magazine|last1=Farey-Jones|first1=Daniel|title=Job losses as adoption charity succumbs to financial pressures|url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/job-losses-adoption-charity-succumbs-financial-pressures/management/article/1358538|website=Third Sector|access-date=27 April 2016|date=3 August 2015|archive-date=31 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531035650/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/job-losses-adoption-charity-succumbs-financial-pressures/management/article/1358538|url-status=live}}</ref>
Coram-i, a company part of the Coram group, helps local authorities improve children’s services by offering consultancy in areas like adoption, fostering, and special guardianship. In 2021, Coram-i launched The Coram Innovation Incubator (CII) in collaboration with ten local authorities – along with EY, Microsoft and PA Consulting – a specialist vehicle for children’s services providers to generate, test and scale innovative solutions to shared challenges facing the children’s social care sector.{{cn|date =April 2026}}
Coram IAC (Intercountry Adoption Centre) is the UK's only dedicated international adoption charity and joined Coram in 2023. Since 1997, the organisation has been supporting prospective adopters through preparation, assessment, and the process of being matched with a child from abroad.{{cn|date=April 2026}}
=== Education === Coram Life Education runs programmes in schools to educate children about health, wellbeing, and drugs. It was formed in 2009 as an amalgamation between Coram and Life Education.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Little|first1=Matthew|title=Charity partnerships: Finding new ways to work together|url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity-partnerships-finding-new-ways-work-together/governance/article/949513|website=Third Sector|access-date=27 April 2016|date=2 November 2009|archive-date=31 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531063621/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity-partnerships-finding-new-ways-work-together/governance/article/949513|url-status=live}}</ref>
Coram Beanstalk equips adults and young people to ‘do reading’ better with children through volunteer reading helpers, school and peer mentoring programmes and community groups.
Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation (CSSF) works with schools across the UK to give young people the opportunity to build their confidence, skills and knowledge by learning about and performing Shakespeare.
=== Legal advice and advocacy === In 2011, the Children's Legal Centre and Coram were amalgamated into Coram Children's Legal Centre (CCLC).<ref>{{cite web|title=Children's Legal Centre has joined children's charity Coram|url=http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed85605|website=Family Law Week|access-date=28 April 2016|date=2 September 2011|archive-date=5 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505024107/http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed85605|url-status=dead}}</ref> CCLC’s support covers education, discrimination, immigration, asylum, community care and family law. Coram International is part of CCLC, working with governments, UN bodies, IGOs and NGOs worldwide to protect and promote children and young people’s human rights.
In 2013, the charity Voice merged with Coram to form Coram Voice.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Ogden|first1=Joy|title=The children's charity Voice joins the Coram group and changes its name|url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/childrens-charity-voice-joins-coram-group-changes-its-name/management/article/1214250|work= Third Sector|access-date=28 April 2016|date=1 October 2013|archive-date=31 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531035141/http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/childrens-charity-voice-joins-coram-group-changes-its-name/management/article/1214250|url-status=live}}</ref> Coram Voice is a children’s rights organisation, championing the rights of children in care, care leavers and others who depend upon the help of the state.
=== Research and evaluation === The Coram Institute is a think tank dedicated to the future of children, working with partners and young people to learn from the past, examine current needs and create better chances for the next generation. The Institute informs and influences policy and practice, and collaborates with relevant partners to deliver solutions to the challenges children and young people face today.
A key area of the Institute, the Coram Impact and Evaluation team conducts research involving children, young people, parents, and professionals to identify and promote best practices that improve outcomes for children.
=== Early years, family and childcare === Coram Family and Childcare (CFC) publishes the annual childcare survey, the reference for understanding cost and availability of childcare across Great Britain. It also delivers parent-led programmes nationwide.
In 2023, Hempsall’s joined Coram as Coram Hempsall’s. Operating since 1999, the organisation supports practitioners, providers, local authorities, and governments in delivering sustainable early years and childcare services.
On 2 May 2025 the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) joined the Coram Group as Coram PACEY.<ref name="JoinsCoram">{{Cite news |date=2 May 2025 |title=PACEY joins The Coram Group |url=https://nmt-magazine.co.uk/pacey-joins-the-coram-group/ |access-date=20 September 2025 |work=Nursery Management Today}}</ref><ref name="Harle">{{Cite news |last=Harle |first=Emily |date=May 2025 |title=Fifty-year-old childcare charity becomes part of larger children’s organisation |url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/fifty-year-old-childcare-charity-becomes-part-larger-childrens-organisation/governance/article/1916612 |access-date=20 September 2025 |work=Third Sector}}</ref><ref name="Hayes">{{Cite news |last=Hayes |first=Derren |date=2 May 2025 |title=Childminder body Pacey joins Coram group |url=https://www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news/childminder-body-pacey-joins-coram-group/ |access-date=20 September 2025 |work=Children & Young People Now}}</ref><ref name="Takeover">{{Cite news |last=Morton |first=Katy |date=2 May 2025 |title=Coram Group takes over from childminding association PACEY |url=https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news/coram-group-takes-over-from-childminding-association-pacey/ |work=Nursery World}}</ref>
== Foundling Museum == {{Main|Foundling Museum}} The historic collections of the Foundling Hospital were moved in the 1920s to Brunswick Square, London, where a museum was established. In 1998 the building and collections were formally constituted as a separate charity, the Foundling Museum.<ref>{{EW charity|1071167|The Foundling Museum}}</ref>
== See also == * List of organisations with a British royal charter
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.coram.org.uk/ Coram] * [http://www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk/ The Foundling Museum] * [http://www.oca1947.co.uk/ Old Coram Association] * [https://www.coramadoption.org.uk/ Coram Adoption] * [https://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/ Coram Children's Legal Centre] * [https://corambaaf.org.uk/ CoramBAAF] * [https://www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk/ Coram Life Education] * [https://www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/ Coram Beanstalk] * [https://www.coramhempsalls.org.uk/ Coram Hempsall’s] * [https://www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/ Coram Family and Childcare] * [https://coramvoice.org.uk/ Coram Voice] * [https://www.shakespeareschools.org/ Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation] * [https://www.coram.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work-and-impact/coram-i/ Coram-i] * [https://www.coram.org.uk/about-us/coram-institute/ Coram Institute] * [https://www.coramiac.org.uk/ Coram IAC] * [https://www.coram.org.uk/coram-innovation-incubator/ Coram Innovation Incubator]
{{Authority control}}
Category:Organizations established in 1739 Category:Charities based in London Category:Children's charities based in England Category:1739 establishments in England Category:Foundling Hospital Category:Organisations based in the London Borough of Camden