Exhibition Opening - Next of Kin: A Portrait of Adoptive Families by Richard Ansett

For this project, Richard has worked with

some of the families and children Coram

support. Travelling across the country, he

has captured a collection of thoughtful

and deeply personal portraits which reflect

the experiences and stories at the heart of

adoption. These portraits remind us that

adoption is ultimately about people and

relationships. Behind every image is a story

of belonging, resilience and family.

Coram, the UK’s first and longest continuing

children’s charity, has been running a

programme of activities, launched in January

2026, to mark the centenary of legal adoption

in England and Wales. The Adoption of

Children Act (1926) introduced for the first

time a legal process by which the rights and

responsibilities for a child could be transferred

from birth parents to adoptive parents.

It provided a legal framework for adoption

and is a significant historical development in

child welfare legislation.

Our programme of work aimed to enable

the sector to recognise, review and reflect

on the importance of the legislation and the

evolution of adoption and to build greater

understanding of adoption today and the part

it continues to play in the continuum of care

for children who cannot remain safely in their

birth families.

Head to adoptionstory.org.uk to explore the

timeline of adoption and stories shared by

those who have been touched by adoption

over the century.