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Adoption Support – unwavering in our commitment to be here for you, just as we always have
On 14th April 2025, the Department for Education announced cuts which will affect families eligible for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF).
The ASGSF is a Fund set up to provide specialist support for children and young people who have been through the care system. The fund has helped create a better future for tens of thousands of children and young people over the last ten years.
The fund remains the same as last year at £50m, which has been welcomed by the sector. However, there are three significant changes to the way the money will be allocated, which will have a direct impact on the children and young people who rely on it. The ‘Fair Access Limit’ has been reduced from £5,000 to £3,000 per child, per year. The £2,500 per child per year set aside for specialist assessments has been dropped. Finally, the ASGSF will no longer match fund support for children with an exceptional level of need. Until now it provided up to 50% of the funding for up to £30,000 per child, with the rest provided by the local authority.
Whilst we recognise the economic pressures facing the country, we are hugely disappointed by funding cuts at Department for Education that fall hardest on those with the most complex needs – children from care needing permanence who require intensive therapeutic support.
As a voluntary adoption agency and children’s charity, we have been dedicated to supporting our adopter families for over 78 years—and we will remain as committed as ever.
Whether you need us in the early days of welcoming a child into your family, during their teenage years, or even as they navigate adulthood as adopted individuals, we are here for you. For some, this support is continuous throughout their adoption journey, including access to our ongoing training and support sessions. Providing this ongoing care has always been, and will always be, at the heart of what we do.
The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) remains a vital resource, providing essential therapeutic support through our Centre for Fostering and Adoption Support and Therapy Service. With the fund now re-opened for applications, our dedicated teams are diligently working to secure the necessary funding to support our families effectively with the funds available.
To our current and prospective adopter families: we want to reassure you that we are here for you, just as we have been for the past 78 years.
