Government unveils expanded support for adopted children

Adopted children and their families will get better support with their mental health and other needs under proposals put forward by the Department for Education today, as part of the government’s mission to give every child the best possible start in life.

This is part of the government’s wider plan for reforming children’s social care and builds on last week’s announcement of ambitious plans to create 10,000 additional foster care places this parliament.

The government’s vision for reforming adoption support is set out in a new consultation “Adoption support that works for all”. It will ensure all adopted children and some eligible children in kinship care receive better, earlier, and more targeted help at key stages of life by 2028, part of the core mission of giving opportunity to all children, regardless of background.

To give families the certainty they need, funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) will also be increased by £5 million over the next 12 months, taking the total funding up to £55 million.

From this September, Adoption England will help deliver new support for adopted children preparing to enter Year 7. This transition point into secondary school can be a difficult time for children approach adolescence, especially if they have faced challenges early in life.

The offer will include online learning, group sessions, and support from peers for parents to help children to feel supported with their needs. Without this, some adopted children approaching adolescence can fall into issues which can lead to absence, exclusion, or strained relationships with their adoptive families.

The Department for Education will also work with the Department of Health and Social Care on a new pilot to improve mental health support for children in social care, including adopted families,

As well as this, the department will expand funding for specialist teams working with adopted families in Regional Adoption Agencies, as part of a series of local pilots. These teams will include social workers, psychologists, mental health practitioners and teachers to provide additional support where it is needed.

Josh MacAlister, Minister for Children and Families, said:

Adoptive and kinship families make an extraordinary commitment to children who have had a difficult start, and they deserve the strongest possible support.

Our proposals build on what we know works, and I look forward to hearing from families and experts on how we can improve support further.

I’m also pleased to confirm continued funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, ensuring families can keep accessing the services they rely on.

Sarah Johal, National Adoption Strategic Lead at Adoption England said:

We welcome this announcement as an important step towards a more preventative, consistent, and evidence‑informed system of support. The extension of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, alongside new investment in transition support and a sector‑wide consultation, will help ensure children and their families receive support earlier, before difficulties escalate.

While the ASGSF remains a crucial lifeline for many families, it is encouraging that the government’s consultation looks beyond the Fund alone. By focusing on developing a universal baseline offer, support at key transitions and improving the way social care, health, and education work together, this consultation creates an opportunity to build the joined‑up, proactive, and responsive support that families consistently tell us they need.

We look forward to working with government and partners to build a coherent national model that strengthens stability and improves outcomes for children.

Dame Carol Homden DBE PhD, Chief Executive of Coram:

This is a welcome and ambitious route map to ensuring that adopted children and their families and those in kinship care can depend upon the timely and consistent access to effective support, including from education and health services, no matter where they live.

The certainty of continuing funding whilst full consultation takes place means that the evidence and experience of children, families and agencies can help drive the shape the future of services so no child is left behind.

Councillor Antoinette Bramble (Deputy Mayor of Hackney) and Councillor Anya Sizer (Deputy Cabinet Member for SEND, Hackney Council – adoptive parent and campaigner) said:

Adoptive and kinship families have long had to navigate a complex and often inequitable support system, leaving many feeling like the forgotten families in society. It is because of this urgent need for reform that we welcome the Government’s announcement today, which signals the start of a much-needed reset and a renewed commitment to a clear pathway of support that is local, fair, evidence-based and, above all, compassionate.

Every young person deserves a childhood grounded in love, stability and opportunity. Adoption and kinship care make this possible for thousands of children who have experienced adversity early in life, but too many families face long waits for support across a fragmented system where social care, health and education services do not always work together effectively. The government is determined to change this.

Proposals also look to make needs assessments and support plans clearer and more consistent, focussing on evidence‑based interventions, shifting decision‑making to regional or local levels, and ensuring funding is used effectively for children and families.

The consultation invites views on these proposals from adopted and kinship children and young people, parents and carers, practitioners, and partners across health, education and social care. Taking these views into account, the government will then set out an action plan in its response to the consultation later this year, including how it will deliver this support.