DfE places emergency limits on adoption support

Through the Adoption Support Fund, which was made available nationally in May 2015, 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.

But, as a result of demand being twice as high as expected so far this year, the DfE is now limiting the amount of support families can receive to £5,000. It has also taken the step of increasing this year's budget by £2m to £23m.

The so-called "fair access limit" of £5,000 will remain in place until the end of March 2017.

The DfE said that until then it will be consulting with the sector, adoptive parents and special guardians, as well as providers, on future funding and operating model options.

"Our aim will be to produce a system which continues to be easy to access but is also sustainable in the long run," the DfE said.

"We have been monitoring take-up weekly so have been aware that the volumes were rising, but wanted to see whether take-up reduced over the summer period before deciding whether mitigating action was necessary.

A small number of children will be allowed funding over and above £5,000, but the DfE said this will only be the case where a local authority agrees to provide match funding.

Hugh Thornbery, chief executive of Adoption UK, said: "The experiences of our members who have already benefited from the Adoption Support Fund are testament to how vitally important therapeutic support is.

"We have now for the first time begun to fully understand the level of unmet need that exists when it comes to therapeutic support for adoptive families.

"With demand for support over twice the level forecast, I'm pleased that this year's budget has been increased by £2m.

"The important thing now is to ensure that the fund continues to support those families who are most in need.

"The majority of applications made so far fall within the new £5,000 fair access limit and match-funding from local authorities will ensure that there is still help available for those families in urgent need whose support costs more than this.

"Discussion must now take place about how this previously undisclosed level of demand will be met in the future."

As part of a four-year adoption strategy, published in March, it was announced that the Adoption Support Fund would increase to £21m in 2016/17 and £28m in 2017/18, with further increases in every year of the current parliament.

Since April, eligibility was extended to adopted young people up to age 21, as well as special guardians who care for children who were previously in care.