Proposal 1: Develop a baseline offer of parenting support and training at the point of adoption and kinship care

This could include ‘training and workshops, online modules, and access to peer networks’. The purpose is also to ensure that families are aware of the full range of support available to them and how they can benefit from that (e.g. Family Hubs).

To be delivered via RAAs/LAs working with partners where appropriate.

Potential benefits: 

This nationally agreed baseline support offer would ensure that all potential adopters and kinship carers receive the same baseline level of support at the start of their journey.

The proposal states that support should be pitched at the stage the child or young person is at, suggesting that it will be tailored according to the age and needs of the child.

The need for flexible support options is recognised in the proposal to include training, workshops, online modules and peer networks as part of the programme.

Potential concerns: 

The proposal mentions signposting families to universal support offers, including BestStart Family Hubs and Family Help programmes. However, these programmes do not currently offer bespoke support for adoptive and kinship families and are not tailored to their needs. (For example, read our recommendations on Family Hubs here). Universal services would need considerable upskilling to offer the tailored, trauma-informed support often needed by adoptive and kinship families, even in the early stages. Even on a practical level, attending family hubs in a given local area might not be appropriate.

The proposal states that children’s needs should be supported from the outset. However, more than one quarter (28%) of new adopters say they were not given all the information they needed about their child before they moved in (Adoption Barometer 2025) suggesting that more robust assessment and information sharing is needed if the needs of children are to be understood and met through this support.