The House of Lords Library has published a briefing paper
providing information in support of the Lords debate on the
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Permanence’s
report Investing in Families: the Adoption Support Fund beyond
2020.
• The Government has reported that, since its introduction, the
ASF has had a positive effect on adopted children and their
families. In December 2018, the then Education Secretary,
, announced funding to
the scheme would be increased. At the same time, the Government
said funding for the scheme would be guaranteed until March
2020.
• In its July 2019 report, the All-Party Parliamentary Group
(APPG) for Adoption and Permanence also concluded the ASF was
currently having a positive transformative effect. It argued
the Government should provide longer-term funding for the
scheme after March 2020.
• The APPG made several other recommendations. For example, it
argued that some children and families were facing delays in
accessing the ASF. In addition, Voluntary Adoption Agencies
were unable to apply directly for the funding. The report
recommended that improvements should be made to the scheme to
address these issues. It also identified administrative burdens
on social workers regarding the ASF and recommended that this
should be addressed.
• The Consortium of Adoption Support Agencies and the
CoramBAAF—a membership organisation for agencies and
individuals in family placement services—have both supported
the APPG’s recommendation that funding for the ASF be secured
after March 2020.
• Members in both Houses have spoken in support of the
continuation of the ASF, including members of the APPG. In May
2019, during a debate in the House of Lords on adopted children
and schools three members of the APPG—Lord Russell of
Liverpool, the Earl of Listowel (Crossbench) and (Non-affiliated)—spoke in
support of the ASF. The Shadow Spokesperson for Education,
, also
argued for the fund to be protected after 2020.
• In July 2019, during a debate in the House of Commons on
early years family support, (Conservative MP for
Banbury), similarly called on the Government to safeguard the
continuation of the ASF. Ms Prentis is an officer of the
APPG.
• On 15 October 2019, the Education Secretary, , announced the Government would continue to
provide funding for the ASF until 2021. The Government has said
funding after 2021 will be subject to the spending review,
planned for 2020. subsequently announced a further £5 million for
the ASF would be available during 2020–21.
Download the full report
PDF, 142.94 KB)