Funding for post adoption support to increase

Charity Adoption UK said it has been told by the Department for Education that money available for post adoption support in 2016/17 through the Adoption Support Fund (ASF) will exceed the £19.3m provided for the current financial year 2015/16.

Through the fund, which was made available nationally in May 2015 following an initial trial in 10 areas, councils can apply for funding to provide therapeutic services such as cognitive therapy, play and music therapy, and intensive family support, to try to help adopted children recover from previous experiences.

Hugh Thornbery, chief executive of Adoption UK, said: “I am obviously delighted that the government will continue to provide funding for the Adoption Support Fund into 2016 - and that it will be even more than the £19m received last year.

“This is really reassuring news for many adoptive parents and local authorities who have no doubt been incredibly anxious about the future funding of the ASF.

“Last year’s funding for the ASF has proved to be a life-line for many adopters struggling to secure the therapeutic support needed for their children. The continuation of this funding is recognition that there is still more to do, so I’m sure many adopters will be encouraged by this new allocation.”

Since it was established, around 1,800 applications have been approved for support for around 2,000 children.

"From what we know there remains many more families needing support for their adopted children and this funding announcement is good news for them,” Thornbery said.

He added that confirmation of the funding will allow service providers to expand their offer of help to meet the demand.

The Department for Education is set to make an announcement in the New Year around exactly how much the ASF will receive during 2016.