Jonathan Pearce, Chief Executive, to leave Adoption UK

17 May 2012

Adoption UK Chief Executive Jonathan Pearce has today announced that he will leave at the end of July, after 10 successful years leading the national membership and support charity for adoptive parents.

He will be leaving Adoption UK to take up the role of Chief Executive for Cabrini Children’s Society at the beginning of September.

Cabrini, a children’s charity, is one of the larger voluntary adoption agencies, and also covers service provision in fostering, schools counselling work for children with learning difficulties, neighbourhood projects for children and families in poor or deprived areas and residential care for adults with learning disabilities.

Peter Seymour, Chair of Adoption UK’s Board of Trustees, said: “When Jonathan joined Adoption UK nearly a decade ago, it was a small charity with great potential. Since then Jonathan has unlocked that potential and helped Adoption UK become an important service provider and a major voice in progressing positive change for both children and parents in the adoption system.

“Jonathan’s new role is testament to the success of Adoption UK’s work and recognition of its profile and importance in the adoption sector. We are proud of what has been achieved under his leadership and wish him well in his new role, which we hope will also be a contribution to the continuing development of Adoption UK’s wider network of influence.

“The Board of Trustees will be starting a recruitment process very soon to find a new Chief Executive to lead Adoption UK organisation in the next stages of ensuring that society is fully supporting both the child and the adoptive parent through their respective adoption journeys.”

Commenting on the move, Jonathan Pearce said: “After 10 years as Adoption UK’s Chief Executive, I believe it is the right time for me to move on, both personally and professionally.

“Adoption UK is in a very good position financially, strategically and politically, and the charity is well-placed to build on its vital campaigning work to ensure adoptive families are properly supported. I’m immensely proud of all that we’ve achieved in the last decade, not least the steps forward we’ve taken to ensure that the charity is a truly UK-wide service provider that is also able to bring about policy change to improve the lives of adopted children and families.”

Ends

For further information:

Erika Pennington, Press & PR Officer – erika@adoptionuk.org.uk or 01295 752960

Notes for Editors:

Adoption UK

Adoption UK is a registered charity (number 326654) and adoption support agency, established in 1971.
Adoption UK is the only national charity run by and for adoptive parents. The charity’s aim is to provide and support a self-help network for adoptive parents to explore the unique social, emotional and developmental needs of adopted children and young people and their families. Through this network, Adoption UK also promotes effective learning practice, based on over 35 years’ experience of adoptive parenting, which is integrated with current theories of trauma, attachment and development.
Adoption UK supports parents before, during and after the adoption process.
Members have experience of adopting in UK and abroad, from babies and toddlers to
teenagers, with a wide range of medical, emotional, physical and learning difficulties.
Membership represents multicultural Britain.
The Online Community launched in November 2003 and won Charity Website of the Year 2004. Key features include message boards, letters, library of resources, database of real life experiences, special features and daily news. Over 80% of visitors are UK-based however the site has been embraced by people touched by adoption around the world.
Adoption UK offers a range of other services to adoptive families, including: a national telephone helpline; access to local support groups throughout the UK; contact networks; Adoption Today and Children Who Wait magazines, information leaflets and publications; training programmes and courses; and a lending library.
Adoption UK also lobbies and campaigns on behalf of the concerns of adoptive families.

Head Office: Linden House, 55 The Green, South Bar Street, Banbury, Oxon OX16 9AB

Tel: 01295 752240. Helpline: 0844 848 7900.

National Offices:

Scotland

172 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, EH6 5EA

Tel: 0131 555 5350

Northern Ireland

545 Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 3BU

Tel: 028 9077 5211

Wales

Penhevad Studios, Penhevad Street, Grangetown, Cardiff CF11 7LU

Tel: 029 2023 2221