We welcome the Government鈥檚 announcement that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) will be extended into the 2026 to27 financial year.

The ASGSF is a lifeline for many children who have been adopted or are living in special guardianship arrangements. These children often face complex emotional and psychological challenges as a result of early trauma, including abuse, neglect, bereavement and familial separation. The fund enables access to vital therapeutic support, often delivered by our members who are Ofsted-registered and specifically trained to work with developmental trauma, dissociation, and attachment difficulties.

Positive shift

Earlier this year, there was considerable concern across the sector following a decision to cut the fund. The announcement represents a significant and positive shift, and we hope the government will also commit to extending this fund for longer into the future. We鈥檒l continue to work with our members and partners to champion the future of the ASGSF and the children and families it supports.

As Janet Daby MP, Minister for Children and Families, highlighted in a backbench debate, children in these settings are at significantly higher risk of developing serious mental health issues. Ongoing access to therapeutic support is essential for their wellbeing and long-term family stability.

Championing therapy

Alongside our partners,聽we have campaigned against the planned funding changes and provided a briefing to support the debate. We were also pleased to be acknowledged during the discussion for our continued work championing the role of therapy in supporting some of the most vulnerable children and families.

Speaking after the debate, Jennifer Smith, Parliamentary and Public Affairs Officer, said:

鈥淭his news is a real win for children and families. The ASGSF has transformed thousands of lives and today鈥檚 announcement brings much-needed clarity and reassurance to families, practitioners, and service providers across the country. This announcement is a testament to the sustained efforts of campaigners, therapists, and parliamentarians who have worked tirelessly to ensure children鈥檚 voices are heard and their needs prioritised.

Accessible

鈥淲e look forward to working closely with the government and sector partners to ensure therapy remains a core and accessible part of the support system for adopted and special guardianship families. Our commitment remains clear: every child who has experienced early adversity should have access to high-quality, evidence-based therapeutic care.鈥�

Adoption specialist, consultant child psychotherapist and 网爆门 member聽听补诲诲别诲:

鈥淚t was reassuring to see today鈥檚 important Backbench Business Committee debate on the future of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), thanks to Alison Bennett MP for bringing it forward. The debate was both passionate and moving, with adoptive parents and Special Guardians sharing powerful accounts of the challenges they face - many due to reduced or withdrawn support, leading to crises that could have been avoided.

Short-term reassurance

鈥淥n the same day, we welcomed the announcement by Children鈥檚 Minister Janet Daby that the ASGSF will continue into the 2026 to27 financial year. While this offers some short-term reassurance, it鈥檚 not yet a long-term solution for families who have made a lifelong commitment to children with complex, trauma-related needs.

鈥淢ainstream mental health services are often not equipped to meet this demand, and too many children fall through the cracks - either not meeting thresholds or receiving only brief, inadequate support. Sustainable therapeutic provision must be relationship-based and long-term, if it鈥檚 to offer real and lasting change.

鈥淎s the Department for Education prepares to launch its public engagement process on the future of the fund, I urge practitioners and families to contribute. As someone who has worked with adoptive families for over 20 years, I believe that if we are serious about putting children at the centre of our work, we must also place relationships at the centre of our interventions. Real investment means valuing those relationships - and listening to those who live and breathe them every day.鈥�