Demand on Adoption Support Fund driven by CAMHS 'stepping back'

The government has published an evaluation of its ASF, which helps adoptive families and those involved in special guardianship orders (SGOs) to access therapy.

The report found that increased access to the fund may have been caused by CAMHS “withdrawing or reducing their investment or involvement with adoptive or SGO children”.

The evaluation, by Oxford Brookes University’s Institute of Public Care, draws on the views of parents and carers, therapists, councils and others involved in adoption.

Providers of support and councils in particular are concerned that a consequence of the fund has been an increase in demand caused by CAMHS withdrawing the help it can offer.

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“There was also a common perception that this increase in demand has been fuelled not only by the availability of the fund but also because other statutory services may have ‘stepped back’ from providing support to families, particularly CAMHS,” said the report.

Cuts to CAMHS funding is another factor in the shift in demand for the fund, said council representatives.

“ASF may be absorbing work CAMHS should be doing, but their approach tends to be standardised, and they are under-funded,” said one council representative.

Another added: “I am not surprised CAMHS appears to be re-directing some children into the ASF as it is a specialist area and they have a lot of demand.”

Despite this reliance among adoptive families on the fund its long-term future remains in doubt.

Earlier this year the government revealed plans to increase investment in the fund from £40m in 2019/20 to £45 this year (2020/21).

But adoption campaigners and politicians want the government to guarantee the fund’s long-term future beyond next year.

Last month shadow education minister Lord Watson said removing the fund would be “an act of vandalism”.

This week’s Budget did not offer any details on the long-term future of the fund.