Today, the Department for Education confirmed a change in the maximum funding available per child through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF).

Although the total budget for the ASGSF will remain at £50 million this year – which will bring some reassurance to many families – there are significant changes to how the money will be distributed. 

• The Fair Access Limit (FAL) has been reduced from £5,000 to £3,000 per child, per year.
• There will no longer be a separate allowance for specialist assessments – instead, assessments up to £2,500 can be considered, but only within the new overall FAL of £3,000.
• Applications for match funding for exceptional situations for therapy costs above £3,000 or specialist assessments over £2,500 will no longer be accepted.
• In addition, transitional funding arrangements that previously allowed funding to be carried over across financial years have now come to an end.

These changes are being made to manage growing pressure on the fund, which has struggled to meet rising demand in recent years. The future of the fund had been uncertain until 1 April, when the government confirmed its continuation. However, with a new approach in place, this will have repercussions for local authorities and regional adoption agencies as well as providers with some delays for families. Regional adoption agencies are in the process of adapting to these changes and they would like to provide reassurance to families that they will be in contact to discuss and review arrangements.

Sarah Johal MBE, National Adoption Strategic Lead at Adoption England said:

“The delay in the announcement and the reduction in the support available for families is disappointing. Many applications will need to be reviewed and resubmitted and this will lead to further worry and uncertainty and delays for families in accessing help. Many parents and carers of children who are adopted and in special guardianship arrangements are experiencing serious challenges in caring for children who have experienced loss, separation and trauma and they need access to a range of therapeutic support. Securing longer term funding must be a key priority for the government in the forthcoming spending review.”