Charities have condemned the government’s decision to slash funding for therapy support available to adoptive families in England by 40%, calling the move “distressing” and harmful to vulnerable children.
Previously, each eligible child could access up to £5,000 annually for therapy and an additional £2,500 for specialist assessments. Under the new changes, the therapy funding has been reduced to £3,000, and the assessment allocation has been eliminated entirely.
Adoption UK described the decision as devastating for families, many of whom had already endured uncertainty over whether the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund would continue.
According to the government, the changes are intended to make the fund more “financially sustainable” as demand increases. Last year, nearly 20,000 children benefited from the fund a sharp rise from around 13,000 in 2019/20.
Despite concerns, the government confirmed at the last minute that the fund would continue into 2025/26, allocating £50 million for the year — the same overall budget as last year. However, the reduced per-child allowance has sparked widespread criticism.
Emily Frith, Chief Executive of Adoption UK, warned the cuts would directly affect children who have already endured traumatic starts in life. She described the decision as “very short-sighted,” particularly at a time when more adoptive families are facing crisis.
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