Thousands of families left in the dark as they wait for news of vital therapy for their children

Thousands of families are being left in the dark as they wait to hear whether funding for vital therapeutic support for their children will continue. The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) pays for specialist support for adopted children and those with Special Guardianship Orders in England.  

Around 4,000 children in the UK are placed in adoptive families each year. Most have suffered abuse, neglect, or violence and spend an average of 15 months in care before adoption, often with a number of moves while in care, losing everything that is familiar to them along the way.  It is common for adopted people to need support throughout their lives.    

The ASGSF was set up in 2015*, in recognition of the fact that early therapeutic intervention can be transformative and is less costly than dealing with complex problems further down the line. 82% of families agree that ASGSF-funded support has had a positive impact on their family. * 

The Fund is currently tied to government spending rounds and competing demands on government finances, leaving children and young people on a ‘cliff edge’, not knowing if their support will continue. Adoption UK is currently receiving a high number of calls to its Advice & Support Line from families desperate for news about whether their child’s therapy will continue. For children who have experienced significant trauma, consistency and trust are crucial factors in helping them recover.  

A clinical psychologist with many families relying on the Fund said: “We are increasingly anxious on behalf of our clients, several of whom are desperately anxious or depressed. The local authorities we work with have told us to at least prepare them all for a significant break in therapy because they won't be able to contend with the demand of applications. The implication of this is not only a break in therapy and potential rupture, but also drop out of my team of specialists who won't be able to wait financially to continue seeing these clients. Child therapists with this level of expertise are hard to come by. It's a minefield.” 

Adoption UK is calling for a permanent Fund for therapeutic support, which would be protected from repeated funding negotiations, as well as greater flexibility in the use of the fund so that it can benefit more children and their families. Last year’s Adoption Barometer report warned of an increase in the number of adoptive families facing crisis. Adoption UK is concerned this further instability in therapeutic provision could compound problems. The government must expedite the decision about this year’s funding to prevent more families falling into crisis.     

Adoption UK’s CEO Emily Frith said: “Many families tell us that the support their child receives from the ASGSF is transformational. Having seen their children gain so much, it’s agonising that families are put through this uncertainty about whether it’s going to be snatched away again. The government should honour their manifesto commitment to improving adoption by ending this harmful cliff edge in support.”  

Since its inception in 2015 the Government have invested more than £429m in the ASGSF and nearly 52,000 adoptive families have benefitted, according to DfE figures.  

Alice, aged 15 said: “This is really important and I needed it years ago. My life has been so hard and now after two years of therapy I’m beginning to feel better. I feel I have a future. I still get loads of help. I will need help for a long time, but now I think I can have a future.”  

Adoptive parent Michael said: “Without the fund, there’s every chance my youngest wouldn’t be with us right now. That would’ve been devastating for both her and her sister. It’s fair to say the ASGSF has prevented disruption and kept our family together.” 

* The ASGSF was formerly called the Adoption Support Fund.