Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential merits of expanding the automatic eligibility criteria for the Holiday Activities and Food programme to include all care-experienced children, including those who are looked after, in kinship care arrangements, or adopted.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government recognises that care-experienced children, including children who are looked after, living in kinship care or adopted, can face additional challenges.
The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, backed by over £600 million of funding for the next three years, provides free nutritious meals, enriching activities, and safe environments to eligible children during the school holidays. The programme is specifically targeted at children eligible for free school meals from households with annual earnings of £7,400 or less, focussing on families facing the greatest levels of disadvantage.
Local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised places to children who do not meet the eligibility criteria but could benefit from HAF, in line with local needs and priorities such as care-experienced children.
The government is also strengthening support for care-experienced children through wider reforms, including enhanced support for children in kinship care, extension of the Virtual School Head role and investment in kinship care support.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their recent Adoption support that works for all consultation considered the long-term costs to the public purse of unmet therapeutic need among adopted children and children subject to special guardianship orders.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Recipient Average Costs per Financial Years
Financial Year | Average Recipient Request (1) | Average Recipient Award (2) |
2022-23 | £2,908.00 | £2,908.00 |
2023-24 | £3,044.00 | £3,044.00 |
2024-25 | £3,090.00 | £3,090.00 |
2025-26 | £2,537.00 | £2,537.00 |
Application requests are made within the Fair Access Limit – we do not approve an amount different to the requested amount.
Local Authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies are responsible for submitting applications. The financial value of all applications submitted to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund were below the £3,000 fair access limit. The department regularly reviews the costs per hour of therapy, and the number of hours of therapy per application. Local authorities and regional adoption agencies can top-up funding using their own resources.
The department is currently considering responses to its consultation on the future of Adoption Support, including the long-term effects of any changes made to adoption support.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether therapy providers amended treatment plans or reduced the value of funding applications following the introduction of the £3000 Fair Access Limit for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Recipient Average Costs per Financial Years
Financial Year | Average Recipient Request (1) | Average Recipient Award (2) |
2022-23 | £2,908.00 | £2,908.00 |
2023-24 | £3,044.00 | £3,044.00 |
2024-25 | £3,090.00 | £3,090.00 |
2025-26 | £2,537.00 | £2,537.00 |
Application requests are made within the Fair Access Limit – we do not approve an amount different to the requested amount.
Local Authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies are responsible for submitting applications. The financial value of all applications submitted to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund were below the £3,000 fair access limit. The department regularly reviews the costs per hour of therapy, and the number of hours of therapy per application. Local authorities and regional adoption agencies can top-up funding using their own resources.
The department is currently considering responses to its consultation on the future of Adoption Support, including the long-term effects of any changes made to adoption support.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the (1) average amount requested by applicants, and (2) average amount awarded to applicants through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund in each financial year since 2022-23.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Recipient Average Costs per Financial Years
Financial Year | Average Recipient Request (1) | Average Recipient Award (2) |
2022-23 | £2,908.00 | £2,908.00 |
2023-24 | £3,044.00 | £3,044.00 |
2024-25 | £3,090.00 | £3,090.00 |
2025-26 | £2,537.00 | £2,537.00 |
Application requests are made within the Fair Access Limit – we do not approve an amount different to the requested amount.
Local Authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies are responsible for submitting applications. The financial value of all applications submitted to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund were below the £3,000 fair access limit. The department regularly reviews the costs per hour of therapy, and the number of hours of therapy per application. Local authorities and regional adoption agencies can top-up funding using their own resources.
The department is currently considering responses to its consultation on the future of Adoption Support, including the long-term effects of any changes made to adoption support.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise the case of Naama Asfari with the government of Morocco.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports concerning the case of Naama Afsari and continue to monitor this. The UK remains firmly committed to the promotion and protection of human rights globally. Officials, including up to ambassador level regularly engage on human rights issues with the Moroccan Government and authorities, most recently during the visit of the UK's Human Rights Ambassador in June 2026. At the most recent UK-Morocco Human Rights Dialogue in November 2025, officials discussed various human rights issues, including freedom of expression, rights of minorities, women's rights, media freedom, and judicial reforms.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Ofsted inspection Regulation 44; and what assessment they have made of how to remove incentives which discourage registered children’s homes from accepting high-needs children.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is clear that inspection and regulation should not discourage providers from caring for children with high levels of need where this can be done safely.
Regulation 44 provides independent scrutiny of children’s homes to help ensure children are effectively safeguarded and their wellbeing is promoted. Reports are shared with Ofsted, who use them to develop lines of enquiry for inspection and regulatory activity and take urgent action if children are at risk.
In 2025, Ofsted amended its inspection framework to support placement stability for vulnerable children and is now consulting on how inspection can better support providers to care for the children who have the most complex lives.
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 establishes a new statutory framework to authorise the deprivation of liberty of children in provision other than a secure children’s home. This will facilitate different types of community-based placements to achieve better stability and improve long term outcomes for children requiring a higher level of support.
The department has recently announced £18.5 million for our Home Again programme which will improve the lives of children with complex needs by helping services work together more effectively, providing earlier intervention, reducing crisis situations and supporting children in the most appropriate settings.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether evidence from the operation of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund during 2025–26, including effects of the introduction in April 2025 of the £3,000 Fair Access Limit and the timing of the fund's launch, will inform the Adoption Support: A System That Works for All consultation, published in February.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department routinely reviews data relating to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). The average amount of funding per recipient increased from £2,336 in 2017/18 to £3,090 in 2024/25, reflecting changes in demand and the cost of therapeutic support over time. In 2025/26, the average amount approved per recipient was £2,537.
The decision to set the Fair Access Limit at £3,000 from April 2025 was taken to ensure that the available budget could support the maximum number of eligible children whilst remaining within the budget. The department has previously assessed that £3,000 could fund an average of approximately 19 to 20 hours of therapy, based on median therapeutic costs and associated expenses. During 2025/26, the average approved therapy cost was £2,537, below the Fair Access Limit.
The department is currently considering responses to its consultation on the future of Adoption Support. Evidence from the operation of the fund during 2025/26 will contribute to the department’s consideration of future adoption support arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis they have undertaken of the average amount awarded per recipient through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund in each financial year since 2015–16; and what assessment they have made of trends in the average level of support required by recipients.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department routinely reviews data relating to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). The average amount of funding per recipient increased from £2,336 in 2017/18 to £3,090 in 2024/25, reflecting changes in demand and the cost of therapeutic support over time. In 2025/26, the average amount approved per recipient was £2,537.
The decision to set the Fair Access Limit at £3,000 from April 2025 was taken to ensure that the available budget could support the maximum number of eligible children whilst remaining within the budget. The department has previously assessed that £3,000 could fund an average of approximately 19 to 20 hours of therapy, based on median therapeutic costs and associated expenses. During 2025/26, the average approved therapy cost was £2,537, below the Fair Access Limit.
The department is currently considering responses to its consultation on the future of Adoption Support. Evidence from the operation of the fund during 2025/26 will contribute to the department’s consideration of future adoption support arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what analysis underpinned their decision to reduce the Fair Access Limit under the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund from £5,000 to £3,000; and whether that analysis considered the potential impact of the delayed commencement of the 2025–26 scheme on average spend per recipient.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department routinely reviews data relating to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF). The average amount of funding per recipient increased from £2,336 in 2017/18 to £3,090 in 2024/25, reflecting changes in demand and the cost of therapeutic support over time. In 2025/26, the average amount approved per recipient was £2,537.
The decision to set the Fair Access Limit at £3,000 from April 2025 was taken to ensure that the available budget could support the maximum number of eligible children whilst remaining within the budget. The department has previously assessed that £3,000 could fund an average of approximately 19 to 20 hours of therapy, based on median therapeutic costs and associated expenses. During 2025/26, the average approved therapy cost was £2,537, below the Fair Access Limit.
The department is currently considering responses to its consultation on the future of Adoption Support. Evidence from the operation of the fund during 2025/26 will contribute to the department’s consideration of future adoption support arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the impact of the delayed announcement of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund for 2025-26 resulted in (1) fewer applications being received, (2) lower-quality applications being received, (3) lower value of awards made, (4) lower average spend per recipient, and (5) unmet demand for therapeutic support.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Applications approved in 2025/26 remained broadly consistent with the previous year, with 20,000 approvals compared to 20,085 in 2024/25. No applications were refused because the overall fund budget had been exhausted. It continues to monitor application levels, spending trends and outcomes for children and families as part of the routine management of the fund.