Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will commit funding to the Adoption Support Fund beyond the financial year of 2021-22.
The Adoption Support Fund budget for the last five financial years is set out below:
2016-17: £23,925,000
2017-18: £29,000,000
2018-19: £37,000,000
2019-20: £42,000,000
2020-21: £45,000,000
There are currently no plans to change the Fund’s eligibility criteria. The next Spending Review for government departmental spend beyond the financial year of 2021-22 will consider the Adoption Support Fund and its budget, scope and eligibility criteria. We have put in place transitionary arrangements in advance of the Spending Review outcome to allow funded support to continue beyond March 2022 for those families who commence therapy in the 2021-22 financial year.