Listen to our latest podcast to hear the changes discussed with Stephen Mulley, Therapy Services Manager at Family Futures and Clare Solomons, adoptive parent.

Family Futures is gravely concerned about the cuts announced on 14 April to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF).

Reducing the annual per-child limit from £5,000 to £3,000 will almost halve the number of therapy sessions children can attend each year. This means less frequent and shorter-term therapy for children still recovering from trauma, abuse, and violence. Additionally, withdrawing the £2,500 allocation for specialist assessments and requiring these assessments to be funded within the reduced limit will further deplete resources for therapy.

The removal of match funding is particularly concerning as it has been a vital safety net for the highest-risk, most vulnerable children, safeguarding them by ensuring urgent intervention. Local Authorities budgets are already overstretched and it is unlikely they will be in a position to step in and provide the level of financial support needed for the children with most complex needs or at highest risk.

Families across England now face unmanageable challenges, making more adoption and kinship placement breakdowns inevitable. Family Futures, along with adoption, kinship and therapeutic support agencies are calling on the government to urgently reassess these changes.

Jay Vaughan MBE, CEO of Family Futures, expressed deep concern:

“These funding cuts will have direct and catastrophic consequences for vulnerable children and their families. Match funding has been a lifeline for the highest-risk cases, protecting traumatised children who are at the greatest risk of harm. We urge the government to reconsider these funding cuts and commit to preserving the long-term stability of placements through financial support that will enable children to recover from trauma and thrive.

This decision is a backward step. Unresolved trauma, parent or carer burnout and family instability do not save money. They lead to higher emotional and financial costs to society down the line. These changes also risk discouraging prospective adopters at a time when every effort should be made to support them in their vital role of caring for society’s most vulnerable children.

Therapy should be based on a holistic assessment of the child’s unique needs. Without this, how can we ensure that the money is being used effectively on the right therapeutic intervention?”

As Clare, a parent attending Family Futures with her daughters, said:

“Therapy offers our daughters the best chance of recovering from past traumas, fulfilling their potential, and leading happy lives. What our family needs — specialist therapy —exists, and it works exceptionally well, but our access to it relies on ASGSF funding, and that is out of our control.”

Children supported by Family Futures have often endured horrific abuse, neglect, or violence before finding safety in adoptive or kinship families. Many children we see are so traumatised they cannot eat, sleep or trust a parent to care for them. They require specialist, therapeutic care to address complex needs and recover from trauma.

We need to understand from the government how they will ensure that vulnerable children are not abandoned by the very system meant to protect them. The government promised to “keep children safe and help families thrive.” We are asking the government to rethink and act decisively to prevent further harm to children.

We will continue to provide further information and support for families via our website.

What is meant by match funding?

Until now, the ASGSF provided up to 50% of funding needed to support children with an exceptional level of need, with the rest provided by the local authority. The ASGSF will no longer match fund this support.  

Sign the petition and join the march against ASGSF funding cuts

Clare, a parent whose daughters come to Family Futures for therapy, has set up a protest march and petition against the funding cuts to highlight the impact this is having on vulnerable children across England. Please share and help spread the word. The protest march will take place on 3rd May at 1pm.

Listen to the ASGSF discussion on BBC 5 Live Nicky Campbell show, 17 April 2025 10-11am

Family Futures parent, Clare, and our CEO Jay Vaughan, alongside Emily Frith, Adoption UK’s CEO and other parents and professionals, called on the government to urgently rethink the cuts to the ASGSF.

Write to your MP

Adoption UK has a letter template here for you to personalise and adapt.