2013 - Adoption UK's response to Pupil Premium extension to adopted children The Government announced that the Pupil Premium initiative is to be extended to include adopted children. Expand 1 October 2013 Read Adoption UK's response to Pupil Premium funding extension to adopted children: Adoption UK's response to Pupil Premium extension.pdf
2015 - Adoption UK responds to the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) consultation on ‘Children’s Attachment Expand June 2015 Attachment in children and young people who are adopted from care, in care or at risk of going into care’. Children's attachment comments AUK 2015.pdf
2016 - Court of Appeal judgment welcomed by Adoption UK Court of Appeal redresses the balance regarding adoption placement orders - Adoption UK welcomes the Court's judgement Expand 22 August 2016 Adoption UK welcomes a recent Court of Appeal judgment which it is hoped will redress the balance after adoption placement orders were halved following confusion over two landmark rulings in 2013. The Re B and Re B-S rulings introduced the concept that adoption orders should only be made when – in the words of one of the judges in the Re B case – “nothing else will do”. In the year following, adoption decisions dropped 40% and placement orders fell 45%. But the Court of Appeal judgment, in July, has now given social workers and local authorities a helpful steer on applying the 2013 rulings when making decisions about permanence for children who cannot live with their birth parents. Hugh Thornbery CBE chief executive of Adoption UK, said: “Adoption can offer the best chance to permanently break a cycle of neglect and abuse and give a child a second chance at fulfilling their potential with the support of a loving family - so we cannot stress enough the importance of clearing up any confusion over the 2013 rulings which has undoubtedly had a negative impact upon adoption decisions and placement orders in recent years. “There are children for whom only adoption will work. Adoptive parents who are able to provide these children with a forever home have a resilience to parent them through thick-and-thin.” Mr Thornbery was interviewed by Community Care about the Court of Appeal judgment. You can read the article by clicking here.
2016 - Fair Access Limit introduced for the ASF Adoption UK members stress the importance of the fund Expand 6 October 2016 The Adoption Support Fund is making a huge difference to the lives of children and families. Last year a total of 3,500 families were supported with a budget of £19m. This year the budget was increased to £21m, and a further £2m increase has just been announced, making the total £23m. But demand for support is over twice the level forecast. The Government has just introduced, as an interim measure for the remainder of this financial year, a £5,000 ‘fair access limit’ to ensure that families can continue to access support throughout the financial year. This will be implemented with immediate effect. For applications up to that amount, the application process will operate as it does now. There are a small number of children and families where an exception may be made to the fair access limit. Additional funding will be provided for these children, but only where a local authority agrees to provide match funding. The Government additional contribution will have a maximum limit of £30,000 (including the £5,000 fair access limit). Hugh Thornbery CBE, Chief Executive of Adoption UK, said: "The experiences of our members who have already benefited from the Adoption Support Fund are testament to how vitally important therapeutic support is. One told us recently ‘We don't like to think what life would be like without it right now!’ Another parent said: ‘Coming to therapy has taken a weight off my shoulders and helps to make things easier at home’. "We have now for the first time begun to fully understand the level of unmet need that exists when it comes to therapeutic support for adoptive families. "With demand for support over twice the level forecast, I'm pleased that this year's budget has been increased by £2 million. The important thing now is to ensure that the fund continues to support those families who are most in need. The majority of applications made so far fall within the new £5,000 fair access limit and match funding from local authorities will ensure that there is still help available for those families in urgent need whose support costs more than this. "Discussion must now take place about how this previously undisclosed level of demand will be met in the future."
2017 - Adopted children to receive extra support in school Government announces that adopted children will receive extra support in school as a result of the Children and Social Work Act - Adoption UK's successful lobbying leads to the inclusion of significant provisions for adopted children Expand 4 April 2017 Adopted children will receive extra support in school following successful petitioning by Adoption UK for a better understanding of the issues facing this vulnerable group in the classroom. Adoption UK lobbied decision makers to include a provision in the Children and Social Work Act 2017, which has just been published after receiving formal approval from the Queen on 27th April. The provision ensures that schools in England must understand the impact of developmental issues, including trauma and loss, on all children’s learning, by expanding the role of the Virtual School Head (VSH) and designated teachers to look after previously looked after children, including those who are now adopted. Virtual Schools were set up in England to provide extra help for looked after children’s education. In 2014, the government issued statutory guidance which required the appointment of a VSH in every local authority and the provision of a Personal Education Plan (PEP) for every child in care - but not for adopted children. The Children and Social Work Act (2017) expands the remit of VSHs to include the promotion of educational achievement of adopted children in England, and requires schools to appoint designated staff members to have responsibility for all children who were formerly in care, expanding the previous duty which related to looked after children only. Peter Seymour, Adoption UK’s chair of trustees, said: “We know looked after children’s problems do not disappear the moment they’re adopted. We’re also aware that adopted children frequently experience significant difficulties in school, which is why Adoption UK has been calling for a better understanding of the issues facing adopted children in schools. We’re obviously delighted that decision makers have listened to our concerns and acted upon them by including this provision in the Act.” But Mr Seymour warned more still needs to be done to improve life in the classroom for adopted children. Our members tell us their adopted children are regularly penalised at school He added: “Adopted children’s early childhood experiences can often lead to behavioural, physical and emotional difficulties which play out in a school environment. Our children rarely respond to the traditional methods of sanction and reward. That is why Adoption UK is working with the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), VSHs and other professional teaching bodies, in a bid to make every school attachment-aware.” The aim of the schools’ campaign is to provide all teachers with knowledge, practical strategies, access to training, and a network of support through Adoption UK’s schools’ membership programme. Attachment affects a broad range of children in schools but adopted children’s ability to keep pace with their classmates, academically, is still being compromised, despite the government’s best efforts. Latest research shows adopted children falling behind as early as Key Stage Two – with less than half reaching their expected targets – compared to three-quarters of their classmates. Mr Seymour said: “Unsurprisingly, these difficulties follow our children through school to GSCEs where we know fewer than one-in-four adopted children secure five or more A*-C grades at GCSE, including English and maths. The figure in state-funded schools is 57.1%. “Our members tell us their adopted children are regularly penalised at school because of a lack of understanding about their complex needs so we’re hoping to work with all teaching staff so they’re aware, as well as better equipped, to meet these vulnerable children’s needs.” To find out more about Adoption UK’s Schools’ Campaign click here
2017 - Adoption support boosted following AUK survey Adoption UK has helped to secure an additional one million pounds of adoption support funding for families in England Expand 22 November 2017 The Department for Education announces additional funding for the Adoption Support Fund following a survey by Adoption UK asking parents how the fund is working for them. You can view the headline results from our ASF survey here
2017 - Changes to the ASF's Fair Access Limit The existing Fair Access Limit is to continue into 2017/18 with the addition of a sum offered to children requiring specialist assessment Expand 26 January 2017 The existing Fair Access Limit of £5,000 per child for therapy accessed through the Adoption Support Fund (ASF), will continue into the next financial year (2017/18). And a separate amount of up to £2,500 will be offered to children who require a specialist assessment before therapy can begin. The Fair Access Limit (FAL), which was introduced in October 2016, requires local authorities to share the costs of support above £5,000, through a match-funding approach. This measure was introduced because demand for support is more than double the level forecast. Its continuation was announced in a letter from the Children’s Minister Edward Timpson to Directors of Children’s Services. In his letter, dated 25th January 2017, Mr Timpson writes: "There has been wide acceptance across the sector that continuing to operate the Fund with no limits in place is unsustainable, and a general consensus that the introduction of the fair access limit and the match-funding approach ensures a consistent offer for families. It enables those with the greatest needs to access additional support and encourages smarter commissioning." More than 12,500 families have received therapeutic support since the ASF launched nationwide in May 2015. The budget for 2017-18 is £28m, more than 20% higher than the money set aside during this financial year (£23m). The average spend per child remains under £4,000 and the majority of applications made so far fall within the new £5,000 fair access limit. But there are a small number of cases where the needs of the child and their family are much greater. In his letter, Mr Timpson sets out his proposal to offer a separate amount of up to £2,500 for children who require a for a specialist assessment before therapy can begin. Mr Timpson writes: "We recognise that the cost of a specialist assessment can make a significant dent in the funding available for their therapy. So, for 2017-18, we propose to offer a separate amount of up to £2,500 for a specialist assessment when children need it before therapy can begin. This will be in addition to the existing £5,000 fair access limit per child for therapy." The Minister also confirmed that the future operating model for the ASF will be developed alongside the regionalisation of adoption support agencies, taking an iterative approach to design, delivery and continuous improvement over the next three years as RAAs emerge and mature. The 2020 vision for the ASF is: the delivery of excellent, timely and easily accessible therapeutic support for adoptive and special guardianship families; based on high quality assessment of need including, where necessary, health-led specialist assessments; and in a regionalised, integrated health and social care environment to ensure long term sustainability.
2022 - New NICE standard on FASD diagnosis, assessment & prevention. Expand Adoption UK welcomes NICE’s (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) latest quality standard published today (16th March 2022) which sets out how health and care services can improve the diagnosis, assessment, and prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Read more here
2022 - Pupil Premium Plus extended to include children adopted from overseas Expand New guidance on pupil premium eligibility and funding rate in England includes an increase in funding and for the first time, children adopted outside England and Wales will be eligible to attract this funding for their schools. Read more here
3. Choosing a school Expand Blog: Choosing Your Child’s School This article looks at some of the questions you might ask when looking at new schools for your adopted child.Read the blog
3. Choosing a school Expand Factsheet: Priority School Admissions In England, children who were adopted from care in the UK or overseas have priority access to school places during the normal admissions round for primary or secondary school. This short guide to the School Admissions Code explains how priority admissions work in practice. Download factsheet Blog: Choosing Your Child’s School This article looks at some of the questions you might ask when looking at new schools for your adopted child. Read the blog
3. Flexi-schooling and home educating Expand Factsheet: Flexi-schooling Although relatively uncommon, flexi-schooling can be an effective alternative way to approach your child’s education. In this short guide we explore what flexi-schooling is and look at the legal position across the UK. Download factsheet Factsheet: Elective Home Education Home education is becoming an increasingly common choice among adoptive families. If you are looking for alternatives to school-based education, this short guide explains some things you will need to know before you embark on this family journey. Download factsheet