Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund Newsflash
The Government have announced that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). will continue in 2025-26 with 31/03/2026 being the latest date therapy can be commissioned up to. A budget of £50m has been agreed. However, in order to support as many families as possible there will be changes to the ‘Fair Access Limit.’ This will now reduce from…
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Confirmation received that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will be continuing for the financial year April 2025 – March 2026.
The Children’s Minister made a statement in the Commons this afternoon (01/04/25) and we are now able to confirm that the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will be continuing for the financial year April 2025 – March 2026. We are pleased that this has been announced however exact details are yet to be shared to ensure that it reaches…
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Celebrating two decades of LGBTQ+ adoption progress
Adopt London we have been reflecting on the strides made towards equality and inclusion. In adoption, the past two decades have brought monumental change transforming the landscape for LGBTQ+ adopters, breaking down barriers, and ensuring that children find the loving families they deserve. This week we look back at the successes of the last two decades, acknowledge some of the…
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The Notional SEN budget for mainstream schools
Understanding how schools allocate resources can be crucial for adoptive parents aiming to support their child’s education, especially for those who may need extra help. One significant resource available is notional funding — an annual allocation of up to £6,000 to support additional needs, sometimes on top of the Pupil Premium. Here, we’ll explain what notional funding is, how to…
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The Adoption Barometer survey 2025 is now open!
Each year, Adoption UK – the leading charity for all those whose lives involve adoption, survey adopters and adopted people to help them build the case for more support. Adoption UK, which supports adopters, adoptees and the professionals that support them, has launched its annual ‘Barometer Survey’ to find out what life is really like for those involved with adoption.
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Early Permanence carers needed across London
We need adoptive parents who can take on the responsibility of becoming foster carers to a child, with the chance of going on to adopt them later, if the court decides that child should be adopted. Early Permanence (EP) is an umbrella term for a type of care planning which helps a child who needs be removed from their family…
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School Resources: Bridging The Gap
A project to support adopted children in schools. For many adopted children, school can feel challenging. The regional adoption agency Adopt London South is working with SEND practitioners, teachers, and school staff across ten South London Local Authorities and have launched a new resource to help them to understand what adopted students of all ages experience every day. This initiative…
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There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family.
New data released this National Adoption Week shows there has been a 22 per cent increase in the number of children with a plan for adoption not yet matched with an adoptive family in England in 2023-4, compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the numbers of prospective adopters coming forward remains lower than previous years, believed to be largely due…
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The Importance of Openness in Adoption
Sarah Johal, Adoption England Strategic Lead, shares her views on why it is important for the sector to help adopted people know more about their family history and stay in touch with birth family members or other important relationships, where safe and supported to do so. Sarah has decades of first-hand experience working within the sector, after previously leading the…
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The London Early Permanence Project
Hello! I am Grace Panayiotou, the Early Permanence Lead for a Department for Education (DfE) funded project for Adopt London and Coram Ambitious for Adoption. I have been in my role since October 2023 when Adopt London and Coram Ambitious for Adoption secured a bid via the DfE to develop Early Permanence (EP) across London. I have a business plan…
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LGBTQ+ adopters nominate four Adopt London social workers for commendation.
This summer (2023) New Family Social asked their LGBTQ+ adopter members which social workers deserved to receive a members’ commendation – to show that they’d gone above and beyond in their work. Four social workers from Adopt London received a members’ commendation. In Adopt London West, Ramona Proti and Deepti Walia received a members’ commendation. Ramona was described by one members…
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Free books for Black families considering adoption
Adopt London are giving away Patricia Dopemu’s book – Help! I’m Adopting a Child to any Black African, Caribbean or mixed heritage family considering parenting a child via adoption. Have you ever been frustrated that the books you read are unrelated and don’t depict Black people that look and live like you? Maybe you can’t relate to them or don’t…
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What is adoption really like?
If you want to find out what adoption is really like, come along to one of Adopt London’s ‘Meet The Adopters’ events. These events provide the opportunity for potential adopters to hear from Adopt London’s approved adopters. You will listen to them talk openly and honestly about the assessment process, panel, matching, introductions, contact with birth family, accessing support and…
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Why do I need childcare and volunteering experience when adopting a child?
We know that it is incredibly valuable for each adopter to gain recent and relevant childcare experience. This would ideally be with children from disadvantaged backgrounds, who may have suffered adversity, but might also be with children who at times exhibit some challenging behaviour. Childcare experience demonstrates your ability to meet a child’s needs. At Adopt London we encourage you…
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Why adopting a neurodivergent child is a transformative journey for YOU!
Embracing Neurodiversity by bestselling author Chloe Hayden. Chloé Hayden is an award winning motivational speaker, actor, performer, author, influencer, content creator and disability rights activist and advocate. Diagnosed as autistic (and ADHD) at the age of thirteen and feeling ostracised from society, Chloe started an anonymous blog to share her feelings and to find a community and ended up building…
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Why is family contact important in adoption?
“Contact, where safe, appropriate and properly managed, can be valuable for an adoptive child, their new family and their birth family, including siblings and other relatives.” Children and Families Act 2014: A failure of implementation. Dec 2022 Your child may have strong memories and feelings about their family and past, and your child may be curious about their birth family.
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Adoption support with a difference – Join the choir!
At the end of this summer, statistics were released about the number of black African and black Caribbean children waiting to be adopted. Evidence was shared that many have to wait longer than other children. The reason – is that there are not enough black families who are considering adoption. This news springboarded the choir to decide on a song…
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PAC-UK launch ‘BIG CONSULT 2022’ surveys for adopted people and birth families
PAC-UK has launched the first ’BIG CONSULT’ of adopted people and birth families. They want to hear about the experiences and views of adopted people and birth families on a range of adoption issues so that their voices can be heard by the wider adoption sector, policymakers, researchers, and by each other. They want to find out what is working and…
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Helping South London kinship families face rising cost of living in the holiday period
In the run-up to Christmas, we wanted to write to you to let you know what the Kinship Hub is doing to support Kinship Carers in these increasingly difficult financial times. The cornerstone of their work has always been helping make healthy food accessible for Kinship families, and so they are constantly looking for ways to increase the ability…
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You will be Found
“Have you ever felt like nobody was there? Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere? Have you ever felt like you could disappear? Like you could fall, and no one would hear?” If you are ever feeling sad, isolated, anxious, overwhelmed, or lost, you are not alone. Adopt London is here to listen and…
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