Closure of BAAF

[Potatoaddict]

Is anyone else concerned about the sudden closure of BAAF?
It seems strange it's so sudden. I know they've said some services are being transferred to Coram (I think that's what they're called) and First4Adoption are picking up the adoption register, but it just seems strange.
Anyone else have thoughts on what the longer term implications of this are?
All the paperwork our LA used was from BAAF.
Also horrible for the staff who didn't appear to get any warning either.

[Hels20]

Haven't read this or heard about - am off to find out more.

Why??! Agree seems odd

[Potatoaddict]

The Twitter feed makes for an interesting read!
mobile.twitter.com/baafadoption
I thought it would have made at least one of the news channels but there is very little info out there about what's happening.
It does look like a slightly disgruntled employee is tweeting though.

[Maiyakat]

www.baaf.org.uk/node/7984

What on earth has gone on behind the scenes I cannot imagine. Will cause a lot of uncertainty for a while

[Maiyakat]

I can't find anything about this on BBC or Guardian websites - looks like no-one outside the world of adoption is bothered

[overthemill]

They've gone into administration ie gone bankrupt. It's happening to some very good organisations that just can't cope in the current economic climate with cuts in funding at around 40% (though don't know details of BAAFs funding).

From the wording in the Press Statement it sounds as though some staff may have transferred over to Corambaaf as they are doing the same functions it's like if you get privatised you get transferred to new body who does same thing.

It seems a big shame but Coram have excellent reputation

[overthemill]

BAAF, as currently constituted, has gone into administration and is closing as of 31 July 2015, as is the Be My Parent service. The August 2015 edition of Be My Parent that you have received or will shortly receive is the last edition of the newspaper. The Be My Parent website will also be taken down in a few days.
Although we have demonstrated great resilience in the face of significant changes and prevailing economic conditions, including a fall in income from various sources, sadly we have found ourselves unable to sustain the organisation. We have been working hard to ensure that many of our vital services continue, and are pleased to announce that we will be amalgamating with the Coram group; Coram is the oldest dedicated children’s charity in the UK founded in 1739 as the birthplace of children’s social care. Some of BAAF's functions will be transferring to a new entity within the Coram group of charities, the CoramBAAF Academy for Adoption & Fostering. That transfer will be concluded today.
If you are an agency that has referred a child/children to Be My Parent and have questions about this, please contact Rachel Shenwood or Phil Morton on 0121 710 5200.
If you are a subscriber to Be My Parent, please discuss your plans and the implications with your social workers, and if you are not already familiar with the Adoption Register for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, ask your social worker about this.
Thank you.

[JaneDonne]

Motherfucking austerity.

[tigger29]

Trouble is, BAAF were independent, and operating in all 4 UK nations. Coram run an adoption agency and are England only, so not such a good fit for some functions.

[Potatoaddict]

It does sound like Wales, Scotland and NI may be disadvantaged the most by this.
Still think it warrants greater media coverage.

[Pinkpoodle1]

Very shocking news indeed. England will still have some services but they will be based in London so the south west, midlands and north of England will lose out. As someone who lives in Yorkshire it, yet again, feels like England = London.

[CloserToFiftyThanTwenty]

I hadn't seen this anywhere else

I wonder if it partly explains that awful and odd article in the Telegraph penned by BAAF a few weeks ago (ie their minds weren't really on the job in hand of writing a decent piece)

[Moomin48]

As one of the BAAF staff made redundant, I can confirm that we have been treated awfully - the CEO's public statement is saying that she and trustees are providing support to staff but it's so so so untrue - no support whatsoever apart from a letter from the administrators on how to claim statutory redundancy pay. I very much hope pressure builds for the CEO and trustees to transparently reveal how the finances got so bad so quickly with so little warning. Ex staff, staff now working for Coram, BAAF member agencies and the adoption and fostering sector deserve a full explanation of what has happened and why.

[CloserToFiftyThanTwenty]

Moomin

[Kewcumber]

Closer I had the same thought that piece was so awful (In my very humble opinion)

I'm so sorry Moomin are you moving to another position or are you having to deal with findg another job on top of the upheaval.

[Potatoaddict]

Moomin really sorry to hear that.
Have you seen this message on Twitter re jobs?
twitter.com/tactcare/status/629192820436373504

I agree that what went wrong and why things happened so suddenly needs addressing.
Still baffled why there is not more on this. If you do a Google search of BAAF closure this thread is one of the top hits!?! Surely some new agency somewhere cares about this. All this change surely has far wider consequences than the CEO is spouting?

[CloserToFiftyThanTwenty]

Everyone's so busy raking over what went wrong with Kids Company that they don't seem to have the capacity to look at BAAF too

[firefly78]

as a social worker working this is such sad news.

[Italiangreyhound]

How sad.

Moomin48 so sorry.

Is there a petition about transparency etc?

[PheasantPlucker]

Crikey, I had totally missed this. I am a bit shocked.

Moomin48, sorry this has happened to you.

[WASGAPadoptiveparents]

I agree 100%. Why has there been so much national news about Kids Company loosing so much money with incompetent trustees and management yet nothing about BAAF?
I thought BAAF was a sound financial entity yet this was not the case. Shortage of funds at this level must have been known about for at least twelve months. All those who have worked in support of BAAF had a right to know what was happening as it happened not after the collapse.

[poetboywonder]

there must also be a connection with the 30 mil that the government has dedicated to adoption services and the sudden collapse of BAAF clearly funding was pulled for our new government to look like they care

[hurtanddistressed]

WASGAPadoptiveparents you are right. It would seem that there are incompetent trustees and management at BAAF. It is simply not possible for a financial problem to have arisen in a couple of days, leading to this debacle. The trustees and senior management must have known for months, yet kept this hidden from the supporters, fundraisers and staff of BAAF. This is in itself unethical and morally bankrupt and they should be barred from holding such positions elsewhere. Some staff have been transferred on 6 month contracts to Coram, by accepting this they have lost employment rights. The remainder (51) have been dismissed in the most callous and heart breaking way with no warning, no support and no care for their future. Since BAAF was the leading independent charity in this sector it is baffling that hardly an eyebrow has been raised within the national media or amongst politicians. There is something very fishy going on within the sector. The trustees and management of BAAF are culpable and must be brought to account. I suggest that we write to our MPs as soon as possible and raise concerns with regard to the loss of this charity, which was a national treasure for all its good works and the vulnerable children that it saved/supported. Please take this as a 'call to arms' to root out the people responsible and protect the remaining adoptive charities by ensuring they have sound management and trustees that reach the Nolan criteria for standards in public life.

[YummyScones]

Really concerned about this and sorry to hear about the treatment of staff. So many issues arising, including the level of fostering expertise BAAFCoram have and other general limitations but not least the way that this transfer has occurred. The party line seems to be that it's OK because Coram is the oldest children's charity and that they are set up as s separate entity. Hmmm... It feels very much like it now lacks that level of independence that BAAF had. I hope the mainstream media begin to focus on this more and the long term implications.

[drspouse]

Agencies do close and when they do, like most businesses, they don't want to advertise that they are on shaky grounds until it becomes inevitable, for fear of worrying their clients. There was an agency in Manchester that closed, and the agency we dealt with overseas for our adoption of our DS closed before all the legalities were through (he was already placed thank goodness and most of them were sorted out) which meant paying an expensive extra lawyer overseas to finish all the bits and pieces off. Both were for financial reasons.

I do feel this is pretty major though and having had the need to ask BAAF for advice on dealing with our own LA, and it could have easily been for dealing with a VA, given the nature of our query, what would happen if you were an adopter or foster carer with Coram and you wanted to challenge them?