Adoption UK welcomes full review of adoption support and consultation launched today, but government plans to devolve funding for therapeutic support are cause for concern
News / Wed 11th Feb 2026 at 09:03am
TODAY (10th February) the Department for Education (DfE) has published its outline proposals for reforming the adoption support system in England, alongside a consultation open to adoptees, those in kinship care, families and professionals that will run for 12 weeks.
The government has also confirmed the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) will be extended to 2028, with funding of £55M allocated for the financial year 2026 – 2027. This represents a 10% increase on last year, which is higher than the rate of inflation. However, there is no commitment to reverse the significant cuts made last April. This will be deeply concerning for many families who have already seen a devastating impact of cuts and delays to therapeutic support since then.
The announcement today comes after Adoption UK’s Barometer report last year showed 44% of adoptive families in England reported facing crisis and the charity called for government to launch a review of adoption support. Adoption UK therefore welcomes this vital opportunity for adoptees, those in kinship care, their families and professionals to feed into future government plans.
Adoption UK also welcomes several of the proposals set out in the consultation, which come as a direct result of campaigning alongside adoptees, families and partner organisations.
Despite some encouraging signs that government is listening, we are concerned by some of the language in the document that appears to minimise the significant and lifelong impact of adoption related trauma and care experience and that the need for support is common.
Many across the adoption sector will have significant concerns regarding proposals related to the future of therapeutic support via the ASGSF. Faced with a need to make savings and prevent costs rising due to increased demand, the government proposes devolving the ASGSF to either regional adoption agencies (RAAs) or to local authorities. However, there is little accompanying evidence to demonstrate how either option will improve the support adoptees and their families receive.
Emily Frith, CEO of Adoption UK said: “We welcome confirmation of funding for the ASGSF for the next two years. We are also pleased that the Government has listened to our calls for a proper consultation on a full review of adoption support.
“Nevertheless, we are deeply disappointed that the cuts made to the fund last year have not been reversed, and that that the only proposals put forward for the future of the ASGSF are to devolve funding rather than retain a central ringfenced fund.
“The postcode lottery in adoption support is already a serious concern, and devolving the ASGSF would create more inconsistency and reduce accountability. It is essential that ASGSF funding is ringfenced so that it doesn’t get swallowed up by other demands on local authority budgets.
“Any review of adoption support must ensure that a new system meets the support of adoptees of all ages as our research shows too many families are in crisis. We will be consulting widely with our community to now ensure that government hears directly from them about what is working and what is needed, so that this review leads to a more robust and consistent system of support and improved outcomes for adopted people”.
Adoption UK welcomes proposals to strengthen peer and community support for adopted children, particularly considering recent evidence gathered through the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Permanence. The group’s inquiry, ‘Adoptee Voices’, found many young adoptees felt isolated and called for access to dedicated peer support groups where they can interact with other adoptees. The charity would like to see the proposals on peer support go further and extend to adult adoptees, who are worryingly absent from this consultation.
Proposals to improve support planning and support with key transitions are long overdue and very welcome. The plans largely reflect Adoption UK’s recommendations in the Adoption Barometer (2025), which calls for robust adoption support plans that are regularly reviewed, particularly at moments of major change, such as the move between primary and secondary school and the transition to adulthood.
David Forman
2026-02-11 09:37:07
The article says "cuts made to the fund last year have not been reversed." Plus, the government's desire to reduce its accountability is highlighted: "The postcode lottery in adoption support is already a serious concern, and devolving the ASGSF would create more inconsistency and reduce accountability. It is essential that ASGSF funding is ringfenced so that it doesn’t get swallowed up by other demands on local authority budgets." Just more misery from our Labour government.
Colleen Morrison
2026-02-11 11:10:34
David Forman, thank you for your post speaking up for children in care who cannot speak for themselves. I research my family history and, some 20 years ago, I found a cousin of my mother's in Harlow, who my mother never knew she had, although they lived opposite each other for years. This cousin, who became a dearly loved cousin of mine, had been adopted as a baby when her 23 year old single parent mother sadly died of TB. My cousin's grandparents could not care for her, as their other daughter had TB too and the baby could not be exposed to this contagious disease or to them. She consequently had a very unhappy childhood and was pushed from pillar to post. She told me that, as a child, she'd been tormented by having no family and no sense of identity or of being loved. She first lived with foster parents who abused her, then in a soulless children's home until she was 14, when she was fostered in Potter Street by a widow who told her she was only fostering her for the money. As her 16th birthday approached, my cousin was told to find lodgings as her foster 'parent' would not be paid to keep her once she was 16. When I first met her, my cousin was in her 60s: she was that age when she learned from my family tree that she had a brother, whom she had never been told existed. We searched for this brother and my cousin thankfully found him, so they were able to spend a precious few years together. I had hoped that the treatment of children in care had improved, so I am shocked and angry that in this 21st century, our government is intent on making budget cuts and washing its hands of responsibility for children in care.
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