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£52 million released through Adoption Support Fund (3 August 2017)

Date: 03/08/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, £52 million released through Adoption Support Fund

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced that more than £52 million has now been released through the Adoption Support Fund, which has helped 22,000 children.

The fund was launched to help struggling families who adopt some of the country’s most vulnerable children – and help has now reached nearly 18,000 homes, providing much needed emotional support, said the DfE.

Announcing the success of the Adoption Support Fund, Minister for Children and Families, Robert Goodwill, also confirmed that a further £5m would be invested in a number of innovative projects across the country, designed to improve families’ experiences of adoption as part of a government drive to deliver the best possible services for vulnerable children.

Minister for Children and Families, Robert Goodwill, said:

“Every parent wants their child to grow up feeling loved and understood – and anyone with the commitment and compassion to adopt a child should have the backing of a strong support network.

“We know that caring for these young people – particularly those with more complex needs – can be a struggle at times.

“With the right therapeutic support, children and families will be able to embrace the new life ahead of them – and I’m delighted that the Adoption Support Fund has supported so many thousands of people already, as part of our plan for a fairer society.”


The Adoption Support Fund was launched across England in May 2015 and pays for care that helps children to settle in with their adoptive families, which can include cognitive therapy, play and music therapy, and parenting skills training.

In total, £52m has been released through the fund, reaching 22,000 children and 18,000 families. The DfE says that many more families stand to benefit, as the government increased the fund to £28m in the year 2017-2018.

The announcement comes as an independent report shows that parents believe access to the fund has improved their lives – including through improved child behaviour and mental health.

The 16 projects funded through the Practice and Improvement Fund include three Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs), which will develop new Centres of Excellence for adoption support.

They will bring together social care, health and education experts to provide a co-ordinated assessment and support offer for families.

The Centres of Excellence will be based in Hertfordshire, Stockport, and northeast Lincolnshire.

The government is continuing to implement Regional Adoption Agencies across the country, to bring about long-term improvement to the adoption system.

There are now three RAAs operating in England – One Adoption West Yorkshire, Aspire Adoption and Adoption Counts.

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