Welcome to Agency Connection

Connect – Represent – Create Change

We enhance adoption and fostering by helping agencies to recruit and retain diverse, underrepresented voices.

We offer simplified access to panel roles. Apply now to ensure voices of children are represented.

Our services span nationwide

Who we help

Adoption or Fostering panels to improve diversity
Adoption or Fostering agencies to diversify the workforce
Individuals who aspire to become a panel member

“I have found working with Agency Connection a very positive, professional experience. My agency’s strong wish was to increase the diversity of the panel central list, to reach communities that previously had not considered or felt confident to apply to become panel members”.
(Panel Advisor, Coram ambitious for Adoption)

How we help Agencies

What we do?

At Agency Connection, we are consultancy service committed to assisting adoption and fostering agencies in their crucial work: to find loving safe families to care for vulnerable children. Our goal is to empower agencies to recruit and retain individuals who bring a wide range of backgrounds and lived experiences to the table, especially in the critical process of approving families for fostering or adoption. This diversity is particularly crucial in the significant task of vetting families for fostering or adoption.

Why Does Diversity Matter?

The journey to find safe, nurturing homes for vulnerable children in care is complex and nuanced. To navigate this journey successfully, we know agencies require access to the broad spectrum of talent. It’s about ensuring that every child finds a family where they can not only grow but truly thrive. This goal is within reach when agencies prioritize diversity at every step of their recruitment and retention strategies.

Vulnerable children in care come from diverse backgrounds and need role models to represent them and they deserve to have their voices amplified in spaces where their care is being planned.

Diverse teams bring invaluable perspectives, leading to more thoughtful, compassionate, and effective decisions in the best interest of the children.

Our Approach

We provide agencies with the tools and strategies they need to attract, support, and retain a workforce that genuinely reflects the multifaceted community of children they look after. Promoting diversity within the adoption and fostering community provides space for the right people, committed to achieving the best outcomes for children and ensures a safe, secure and loving family awaits them.

What we offer

Empowering Adoption and Fostering Agencies,

To Reflect the Diversity of their Communities.

JOBS BOARD

Diversify your adoption or fostering panel or agency

Sign up now

We swiftly connect diverse professionals with roles in adoption and fostering agencies, streamlining the search to save time and effort

Click Here

STRATEGY & CONSULTATION

Tailored consultancy services

We are here to help

Our expert team offers tailored consultation services to help you develop a comprehensive approach to inclusivity within your agency.

Click Here

WORKSHOP TRAINING

Practical, research-driven training

Moving you forward

Discover inspiration through practical, research-driven training designed to equip your adoption or fostering agency with actionable ideas

Click Here

AUDIT & REVIEW

pinpointing areas for impactful improvement

DEI & Belonging Audit Services

We audit of your current practices, pinpointing areas for impactful improvements in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Transform your organization

Click Here

PUBLIC SPEAKING

engaging virtual and in-person speakers

Engaging Speakers

At your service to lead and engage in both virtual and in-person events, discussing the vital topics of culture, ethnic diversity, and the significance of representation

Click Here

EVENTS & NETWORKING

Dive into our diverse events

Engage your mind

engaging panel discussions and networking opportunities to inspiring workshops and keynote speeches. Virtually and in-person to suit your needs.

Click Here

MEMBERSHIP

Tailored memberships, in a like minded community

Tailored for you

Panel adviser to the head of recruitment, we offer membership tailored just for you. A community where you can connect.

Click Here

WORKSHOP TRAINING

Practical, research-driven training

Moving you forward

Discover inspiration through practical, research-driven training designed to equip your adoption or fostering agency with actionable ideas

Click Here

STRATEGY & CONSULTATION

Tailored consultancy services

We are here to help

Our expert team offers tailored consultation services to help you develop a comprehensive approach to inclusivity within your agency.

Click Here

JOBS BOARD

Diversify your adoption or fostering panel or agency

Sign up now

We swiftly connect diverse professionals with roles in adoption and fostering agencies, streamlining the search to save time and effort

Click Here

MEMBERSHIP

Tailored memberships, in a like minded community

Tailored for you

Panel adviser to the head of recruitment, we offer membership tailored just for you. A community where you can connect.

Click Here

EVENTS & NETWORKING

Dive into our diverse events

Engage your mind

engaging panel discussions and networking opportunities to inspiring workshops and keynote speeches. Virtually and in-person to suit your needs.

Click Here

AUDIT & REVIEW

pinpointing areas for impactful improvement

DEI & Belonging Audit Services

We audit of your current practices, pinpointing areas for impactful improvements in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Transform your organization

Click Here

PUBLIC SPEAKING

engaging virtual and in-person speakers

Engaging Speakers

At your service to lead and engage in both virtual and in-person events, discussing the vital topics of culture, ethnic diversity, and the significance of representation

Click Here

“I have found working with Ade of Agency Connection a very positive, professional experience....Almost 12% of our central list have come from referrals made by Agency Connection within a six-month timespan. If you want to recruit to your fostering/adoption panels from a wider community, I can only recommend Ade and Agency Connection”.

“A big thank you to Ade Larigo of Agency Connection, for all her help recruiting a more diverse panel membership. We had our initial Teams meeting less than two months before one of Ade's new recruits sat on one of our panels. They did a fantastic job and were commended by the panel Chair. Not only was the process quick but the standard of recruitment was extremely high”.

Ade has good interpersonal skills and has identified the barriers to finding and retaining panel members from diverse backgrounds. Over a 15 month period there was an increase of an additional 34 panel members from black and minority communities and this was down to Ade making connections and linking those interested in becoming a panel member with Regional Adoption Agencies

Thank you so much for your report, it is such an informative and helpful document that captures the work you have been engaged in for the Regional Adoption Agencies (RAA) and gives us significant insight into both the opportunities that panel diversity brings to our adoption practice/sector and the challenges and obstacles that we need to work on together as RAA Leaders and within the wider CVAA sector. Thank you for having worked so hard on this report.

How we help Panel Members

What we do?

At Agency Connection, we empower individuals to step into panel roles and other positions within adoption and fostering.

Why Diversity Matters?

Our mission is to amplify underrepresented voices, break down barriers, and ensure all voices are heard and valued.

The journey to find safe, nurturing homes for vulnerable children in care is complex. To navigate this journey successfully, agencies require access to a broad spectrum of talent. It’s about ensuring that every child finds a family where they can not only grow but truly thrive.

Vulnerable children in care come from diverse backgrounds and need role models to represent them. They deserve to have their voices amplified in spaces where their care is being planned

Our Approach

Through our job board, you can connect with a range of opportunities available to match your talents, skills and experiences with the adoption or foster agencies that is the right fit.

For current panel members, We are also setting up an online panel member community for to provide extra support, training, advice, opportunity to network and share common experiences

MEMBERSHIP

For existing Existing Panel Members Only

Tailored for you

Community membership for Jobs Board members

Click Here

EVENTS & NETWORKING

Dive into our diverse events

Engage your mind

With engaging events and networking opportunities

Click Here

JOBS BOARD

Join and find your next opportunity

Sign up now

We streamline the search and connect diverse panel members with roles

Click Here

LEARN ABOUT PANEL MEMBERSHIP

Start your journey here

We are here to support you

Learn more about becoming a panel member today

Click Here

Empowering Diverse Current and Potential Panel Members

Help Create Families and Change Children’s Lives

LEARN MORE ABOUT PANEL MEMBERSHIP

Start your journey here

We are here to support you

Learn more about becoming a panel member today

Click Here

JOBS BOARD

Join and find your next opportunity

Sign up now

We streamline the search and connect diverse panel members with roles

Click Here

EVENTS & NETWORKING

Dive into our diverse events

Engage your mind

With engaging events and networking opportunities

Click Here

MEMBERSHIP

For existing Panel Members only

Tailored for you

Community membership for Jobs Board members

Click Here

Ade has been amazing, from advising, mentoring, to helping explore the best possibilities, as well as giving me a huge amount of confidence. She has helped me navigate the process with efficiency and ease. As an adoptive mum from a minority background, I’m passionate about diversifying Panels but didn't have a clue how to get my foot in the door.

Agency Connection feels like a reassuring base I can always return to, if I’m able to increase my work capacity, which I personally enjoy and it means a lot. My interactions are consistently friendly, respectful, and professional. Above all, I feel my skills and experiences are highly valued. I look forward to working with Agency Connection in the future and nurturing a healthy, professional relationship”.

Not always do you bump into someone who puts their heart and soul into the work they do, because they truly deep down believe in it and know it will and does make a difference.

“Ade was very professional, energetic, and down to earth. Through Agency Connection, she helped me find panel work, set up loads of meetings, trained me in a very professional manner, gave me a confidence boost and was very helpful with finding adoption and foster panel agencies swiftly”.

I would highly recommend anyone wanting to become a panel member to work with Ade and Agency Connection. Ade's mentorship has been instrumental in my success

Welcome to Agency Connection

I’m Adefunke, my name carries the essence of my Nigerian heritage, I embrace the vibrant culture I was born into. I moved to the UK as a teenager.

I’ve gained 20 years of Social work experience, over the past 13 years, I’ve worked across the adoption and fostering spectrum in various role. This includes I’ve worked as a social worker, Independent Reviewing Officer, Panel Member and Chair. I’ve worked with a spectrum of organisations, including local authorities and independent fostering agencies.

Glad to be able to use my experience to contribute to the work on the national adoption strategy. I lead in the project with Regional Adoption Agencies to significantly boost panel diversity across England. With a 30% increase in diversity achieved within six months, my resolve is stronger than ever.

Beyond my professional pursuits, I am a mother of two, an avid early-morning runner, and a voice for the voiceless. One of my proudest moments was addressing the House of Lords, where I advocated for pivotal changes in adoption legislation to better serve the needs of children and families from Global majority communities.

At Agency Connection, we are not just connecting panels with diversity; we are connecting children with futures that reflect and respect who they are. Join us in this journey of transformation.