Looking to the future

By the end of the decade, there will be fewer young people than pensioners in the UK for the first time in history, demanding a new approach to social infrastructure and resourcing.

“I believe the Coram Institute for the Future of Children is uniquely able to bring together those who can make a difference in children’s lives today and set a new agenda for the children of tomorrow. I urge you to join me in supporting its creation.”

Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green

Partnership in progress

In March 2023, we announced a new strategic partnership with Newcastle University’s Centre for Children and Youth (a Centre of Research Excellence), designed to generate and disseminate collaborative research and aim to achieve the standing of a research organisation for the Institute in coming years.

As part of Coram’s new series of Future of Youth forums, we together explored how to mitigate the impacts of short and long-term consequences for children in London and the North East, where – in both cases – 40% of children live in poverty. Further forums will be developed to explore the economics, conceptualisation, and rights of childhood.

Institute for the Future of Children

It is to change the odds for the next generation that the Coram Institute will be the only think tank dedicated to the future of children, working with partners to learn from the past, examine current needs and trends and turn insight into impact, now and forever.

Inspired by the views and experiences of children and young people, we will take a multi-disciplinary approach working across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Our aim is to combine insight and innovation, historical and international perspective to inform and create positive change in policy and practice.

Leadership in action

Coram’s senior team contributes widely to thought leadership and sector capacity including the Association of Children in Care and Care Leavers, and the Migrant Children’s Consortium.

Having completed 10 years as Chair of the National Autistic Society, our Chief Executive is now the Chair of Diabetes UK. She also contributed to the development of the first Anthropy event bringing together 1300 business leaders at the Eden Project to build a more compassionate society.

In the coming year, we plan to start work on the creation of a new home for the Institute on the Coram Campus. The Innovation Incubator will develop new solutions to the challenges being faced, whilst the Library of Care provides a national resource for children’s services and professionals building capacity through our Academy.

The Voices Studio Cafe will enable today’s young people to explore their own stories, alongside those in the Coram archive, and build new understanding to ensure the views, experiences and aspirations of young people are recognised and acted upon.

As we launch a new Charter for Children, we invite others to join us as allies in this vision.