1. Find your MP

Dear [MP's name],

Parliamentary drop-in: adoption and kinship support

As my representative in Parliament, I am writing to ask you to attend a parliamentary drop-in event on the future of adoption and kinship support, taking place on Monday 13 July, 1.00–3.00pm, in the Macmillan Room, Portcullis House.

You may already be aware of the strong cross-party support for protecting the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), which provides vital therapeutic support for adopted and some kinship children.

The Government is currently consulting on proposals to reform adoption and kinship support in England, including plans to devolve the ASGSF from April 2028. This event is an opportunity to learn more about those proposals and what they could mean for children, families and the support they rely on.

Improvements to support for children and young people who are adopted or growing up in kinship care are both needed and welcome. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen support for children who cannot live with their birth families, helping to ensure they can access the therapeutic and practical support they need to recover from early trauma and thrive throughout childhood and in adulthood.

However, many families and organisations are concerned about how some of the proposals have been developed, the lack of evidence and research underpinning some of the changes and the potential impact they could have on children and families. In particular, there are concerns that devolving the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund without guaranteed ringfenced funding could put at risk the specialist therapeutic support that many adopted and kinship children rely on.

By dropping in, you will be able to:

• Meet adoptive and kinship families and hear about their experiences of support and thoughts on the proposals.
• Learn more about the Government's proposals and their potential impact.
• Pick up a parliamentary briefing to inform future discussions.
• Show your support by having your photo taken with our campaign pledge.
• Find out how you can help ensure these proposals receive the scrutiny they deserve when Parliament returns after the summer recess.

Adoption UK and Kinship are calling for reforms that are transparent, evidence-based and, above all, centred on the needs of children and families. They are seeking parliamentary support to ensure these proposals receive the scrutiny they deserve, so that any reforms strengthen support for families without putting vital therapeutic services at risk.

I hope you will be able to attend. Please let the organisers know if you can come by replying to this email.

Thank you for your time and for your continued support for adoptive and kinship families.

Any questions you may have about the drop-in, please contact [email protected]

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your postcode]