Adoptive families in limbo over 'lifeline' fund

Hundreds of families with adopted children in Surrey are waiting to hear whether funding for their government-provided therapy services will continue.

The Department for Education (DfE) has yet to say whether funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will continue after 31 March.

Karen Garner from the Sensory Smart Child Therapies clinic in Walton-on-Thames said: "Our concern is for the hundreds of children that we support who have been adopted after experiencing trauma, loss and neglect."

The DfE said it was "committed to ensuring all children are able to achieve and thrive" and that adoptive parents "will be at the heart" of its plans.

Ms Garner said the children they support "are making great progress with therapeutic relationships and specialist interventions".

But she said only 18 families "out of hundreds" have had their funding confirmed and there are 400 families across all clinics "in limbo".

Families say the services are a lifeline and the uncertainty is causing them anxiety.

A mother who visits the clinic in Walton-on-Thames, we are calling Sarah said: "It helps with my daughter's emotions and anxiety.

"Not to have it will have a huge impact on her, she looks forward to it every week and thrives when she leaves."

Another parent we are calling Kate said: "If my family can't access the funding after March it will affect my daughter's confidence."

Another parent said the fund provided a vital lifeline for her family and without the professional help they receive they would be lost.

"We are more aware of what our child needs, which means we can also advocate for them at school," she said.

Every child is entitled to apply for a fund of up to £5,000 per year for specialist intervention under the scheme.

In a statement, the DfE said its planer were "to rebalance the system to provide earlier support and greater stability for children".

The government has promised to set out more details on the fund as soon as possible.

Alison Woodhead from Adoption UK told the BBC that at least 82% of families they surveyed said the fund had a significant impact on their children and the wider family.

She said it "changes lives for hundreds of complicated children who have been removed from their birth families and it is an essential part of their development".

"We are receiving an increasing numbers of families calling our helpline asking for clarity, and sadly we can't offer it to them."

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