Adoption and kinship campaigners have declared themselves "disappointed" by Josh MacAlister's response to the impact of cuts to therapy funding following a recent meeting with the children's minister.
Family-led campaign group Action Against ASGSF Changes said MacAlister "showed no willingness to engage with the impact of" the cuts in payments to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) made, without warning or consultation, in April this year. The reductions, which the Department for Education (DfE) said were designed to cope with mounting demand, involved:
- A reduction in the so-called fair access limit – the annual ceiling on payments per child for therapy under the fund – from £5,000 to £3,000.
- The scrapping of a separate allowance of £2,500 per child per year to fund specialist assessments, meaning any such assessments would have to be funded from within the £3,000 annual envelope.
- The ending of match funding by the ASGSF of provision, where the remainder would be funded by the relevant local authority.
Harm to children's and carers' mental health
A recent survey of families by Action Against ASGSF Changes found that the reductions had harmed children’s and carers’ mental health, increased risks and behavioural issues and undermined family relationships.As part of its campaign to reverse the changes, Action Against ASGSF Changes secured a meeting with MacAlister, which took place last week.
In a LinkedIn post following the meeting, Action Against ASGSF Changes said that its campaign team had "presented clear evidence of the harm already being felt, the need for timely specialist therapy, and the economic case for maintaining appropriate support". The latter is a reference to campaigners' views that the cuts are a false economy that will lead to greater long-term costs - to the mental health, welfare and criminal justice systems, for example - from traumatised care experienced young people not getting the support they need.
Government 'not monitoring impact of cuts'
Despite the government saying it would we "monitor the impact of recent changes to funding limits", in response to a report earlier this year from the education select committee, Action Against ASGSF Changes said it was "confirmed that neither the Department for Education nor the minister are tracking the consequences for children and families".However, following the meeting, Action Against ASGSF Changes said that MacAlister "did not outline any credible plan, nor did he set out the principles guiding future decisions".
The group added: "By the end of the meeting it was plain that neither the ASGSF nor the therapeutic needs of adopted and kinship children are being treated as priorities. We could not have been more disappointed or concerned for the future of adopted and kinship children."
DfE 'committed to families receiving help they need
In response, a Department for Education spokesperson said: "We know how important this support is to families, and, through our Plan for Change, we’re committed to ensuring adopted and kinship families continue to receive the help they need to thrive.“In September, we committed to continuing the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund for another year, until April 2027. The difficult decisions we have taken this year will support the financial sustainability of the fund, allowing more vulnerable children to access targeted therapeutic support.
“We will conduct a public engagement process in the new year to understand how children and families can be supported most effectively. An update on this process will be provided in due course.”
