CVAA response to BBC adoption investigation

The BBC has today published findings from a six-month long investigation into the issues being experienced by many adopters seeking support for their families. The numbers cited in this report paint a sad indictment of the adoption system right across the UK. Whilst arrangements for the provision of adoption support vary from nation to nation, the one thing we do know is that every adopted child will need support. CVAA is already involved in work to address inconsistent delivery and access across regions which exacerbates challenges for families who need help more than ever before. But much more action is needed – including investment from government – to amplify the impact of cross sector initiatives such as these.

In today’s report we are presented with accounts of complex support needs not being heard or responded to, and parents being blamed for what is happening. This mirrors exactly what recent research from The Potato Group and the Family Routes study have told us, and what Patch has been highlighting. We know that in England the cuts to the Adoption & Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) have further damaged the adoption support available for families which is why, along with other voluntary sector organisations like Adoption UK, we have been calling for a review of the cuts and a public consultation on adoption support reform, to ensure better and more consistent provision of support across the board in future.

Our CEO Satwinder Sandhu said

We already know that the needs of adopted children are complex because of the trauma and loss that they have experienced before joining their adoptive families. All the evidence is pointing towards the child’s age at adoption being irrelevant when considering the longer-term issues and needs that emerge for almost all children, which indicates the need for support for much longer than the statutory provisions. It is not good enough that adopters who come forward to care for these children are then left feeling isolated, and in fact blamed, for the issues and risks that they are living with. If the government cannot adequately fund adoption support that recognises the cycle of need children are likely to experience, then it should be stepping back and understanding just what it is they are asking of anyone when encouraging anyone to step forward as prospective parents.

Voluntary Adoption Agencies (VAAs) are at the sharp end of these challenges because 80% of the children they find homes for fall into the most complex needs categories, but they don’t directly receive any government funding to deliver support. The huge investments made in adoption support services by VAAs comes from their own fundraising efforts and through generous trusts and grants. This way VAA adopters can continue to access support that is evidence based and lifelong, which families can tap into whenever they need.

This said, we always urge anyone considering adoption to pick up the phone to an agency first and ask for details about the adoption support they routinely provide. We agree that this information and transparency is absolutely essential for prospective adopters who are considering this route to parenthood and the voluntary sector sees this as an integral responsibility.

Much of the evidence points to adoption being a positive outcome for children when they need alternative permanent family care, and it also highlights that when adopted children and young people are supported robustly, the long term economic and social value of that funding is huge. More importantly though, high quality support gives adopted children and young people an opportunity to heal and thrive. So, along with the adoption community and with our sector colleagues, CVAA will continue to lobby governments for more investment and effective, evidence-based system reform.