Written Question·Department for Education·UIN 92027

Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund

Tabled: 18 November 2025
Answered: 25 November 2025
Named Day

Question

Rachael Maskell

Labour (Co-op)York Central

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to assess the impact of the April 2025 changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, including (a) the reduction in the fair access limit and (b) reductions in funding for (i) assessments and (ii) match funding.

Answer

Josh MacAlister

The new criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund will enable as many children and families as possible to access support. So far this year, over 12,500 applications have been approved, including almost 1,000 applications for specialist assessments. The department continues to monitor and assess the impact of the changes and is engaging with stakeholders.