Adopted children and the families who care for them could soon receive stronger, earlier and more consistent mental health support under new proposals announced by the Department for Education, as part of the government’s wider mission to give every child the best possible start in life.
The plans form part of a broader reform of children’s social care in England and build on the government’s recent commitment to create 10,000 additional foster care placements during this Parliament. Together, the measures signal a renewed focus on stability, early intervention and long-term outcomes for some of the most vulnerable children in society.
At the centre of the announcement is a new national consultation titled Adoption support that works for all, which sets out the government’s vision for transforming adoption and kinship care support by 2028. The proposals aim to ensure that all adopted children, along with some eligible children in kinship care, receive timely, targeted help at key stages of their lives, regardless of where they live or their background.
For families who often describe the adoption journey as rewarding but emotionally complex, certainty around support is crucial. To address this, the government has confirmed an additional £5 million in funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund over the next year, taking the total budget to £55 million. The fund is widely seen as a lifeline for families seeking specialist therapeutic and mental health services.
From September, new support will also be introduced for adopted children transitioning into Year 7, a period that can be particularly challenging as children move into adolescence and secondary education. Adoption England will help deliver this support, which will include online learning resources, group sessions and peer support for parents. The aim is to help children feel understood and supported at a time when unmet needs can sometimes lead to school absence, exclusion or strain within families.
Alongside this, the Department for Education will work with the Department of Health and Social Care on a pilot programme to improve access to mental health services for children in social care, including those who are adopted. Funding will also be expanded for specialist multidisciplinary teams within Regional Adoption Agencies, bringing together social workers, psychologists, mental health practitioners and teachers to provide joined-up support where it is most needed.
Josh MacAlister, Minister for Children and Families, said adoptive and kinship families deserve the strongest possible backing for the extraordinary commitment they make. He said the proposals build on proven approaches and emphasised the importance of listening to families and professionals to shape future support.
Sector leaders have broadly welcomed the plans, describing them as an important step toward a more preventative and consistent system. Sarah Johal, National Adoption Strategic Lead at Adoption England, said the extension of the support fund and the focus on key life transitions could help families receive help earlier, before difficulties escalate. She also welcomed the consultation’s emphasis on improving how education, health and social care services work together.
Dame Carol Homden of Coram described the proposals as an ambitious route map that could ensure adopted and kinship families receive timely and effective support, no matter where they live. She said continued funding during the consultation period would allow lived experience and evidence to shape the future of services.
Local leaders and campaigners echoed these views, noting that adoptive and kinship families have long struggled within a fragmented system. They described the announcement as a much-needed reset that could lead to fairer, more compassionate and evidence-based support.
For diaspora families and communities following child welfare policy in the UK, the proposals highlight a growing recognition that adoption does not end at placement. Emotional wellbeing, educational stability and mental health support remain critical long after a child joins a new family.
The consultation will now invite views from adopted and kinship children and young people, parents and carers, and professionals across health, education and social care. The government has said it will publish a full response later this year, setting out a detailed action plan for delivering the proposed changes.
As the UK continues to reform children’s social care, these proposals represent a clear attempt to move from reactive crisis support toward early, consistent and compassionate care, ensuring that no child, regardless of their start in life, is left behind.
