Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to provide (a) therapeutic and (b) other support to adoptive families through the Adoption Support Fund on a long-term basis.

Improving adoption, including adoption support, is a manifesto commitment of this government.

The Adoption Support Fund provides funds to local authorities and regional adoption agencies to pay for essential therapeutic services for children who have left the care system either through adoption or special guardianship order. Since its launch in 2015, the Adoption Support Fund has approved almost £175 million to deliver support to over 60,000 families. The Adoption Support Fund COVID-19 Scheme has provided over £6 million to support up to 61,000 families to meet needs arising from the COVID-19 outbreak.

On 17 July, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the 2020 Comprehensive Spending Review, which will set out the government’s spending plans for the next 3 years. We will consider future funding and scope for the Adoption Support Fund as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review discussions.