Mid Sussex MP leads Parliamentary debate on cuts to vital adoption support fund
Mid Sussex MP Alison Bennett will lead a debate in Parliament this Thursday (4th September), raising urgent concerns about recent changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF).
The debate, scheduled from 1:30 to 3:00pm, follows months of growing alarm from adoptive families and therapy providers across the country – including here in Mid Sussex – who say government reforms to the fund are putting vulnerable children at risk.
The ASGSF, which supports children with complex needs resulting from trauma, was renewed for the 2025/26 financial year only after intense pressure from Liberal Democrat MPs and campaigners. However, when full details were finally revealed during the Easter holidays, many were left stunned. The per-child allocation was slashed by 40%, and funding for essential initial assessments was scrapped altogether. This has meant that families are being forced to choose between funding an assessment for their child, leaving no money for treatment, or embarking on a therapy course which could be inappropriate for their needs. As a result, this can often lead to further complications.
Alison Bennett has been working closely with local providers including Beacon House in Cuckfield and Jigsaw Occupational Therapy in Burgess Hill to understand the real-world impact of these cuts. Earlier this summer, she hosted a roundtable with Mid Sussex therapists and adoption sector workers to prepare for this week’s debate.
Alison Bennett MP said: “I have heard from many families across Mid Sussex who feel real fear about what these changes will mean for their children. This fund is not a luxury but gives young people who have often experienced unbelievable trauma sometimes in-utero, the best second chance at life.”
She continued: “Failing these children will not only come at a huge personal cost for the people involved but has severe consequences across society. It is unacceptable that the government has decided to turn its back on them in such an underhand way, and we must continue to advocate for them.”
Dominic Simpson, Director of Jigsaw Occupational Therapy, added: “Government data showed that around 80% of adopted children in England last year had suffered abuse, neglect, or violence before adoption. Adopted children also spend an average of 15 months in care, often moving through several foster families, losing everything that is familiar to them along the way. After such a traumatic early start in life, the need for lifelong support is common.
The ASGSF has the potential to transforms lives. Despite the Fund’s shortcomings, surveys show a significant positive impact on their families. The government’s own evaluation found that at the end of support funded by the ASGSF, the mental health difficulties of school aged children improved to a statistically significant degree.”
Therapists argue that the revised funding structure will not increase access, as claimed by the Department for Education, but will instead lead to shorter or inappropriate interventions for children already facing enormous challenges.
The debate can be watched live on Thursday 4th September via the UK Parliament website: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons