The act introduces a range of changes to parental support, coming into force over the next year, which are designed to help families better cope with the arrival of a new child. These include:
But Cathy Ashley, chief executive of the FRG, said the measures have widened the gulf between support available to adopters and family and friends carers and special guardians.
She said: "The act rightly improves the support [for] paid leave for adopters, but it was a missed opportunity to provide that same help to family and friends carers and special guardians who have the same level of needs.
"The system should reflect the level of needs of the child whether they are under a special guardianship order or adopted - the act has failed to acknowledge that."
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