Tom Gordon MP: “You can’t give children the best start in life while cutting support for those most in need”

Tom Gordon MP, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has challenged the government over recent cuts to vital support for adopted and kinship care children.

Speaking in the House of Commons today following the government’s statement on its new Best Start in Life strategy, Mr Gordon asked whether families affected by cuts to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) would receive any specific help under the new plans.

“Some of the most vulnerable children in our society are those who have been adopted or are in kinship care,” Mr Gordon told the Commons.

“Many of these children require specialist support to recover from early trauma. With cuts to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, will the Secretary of State confirm whether the new Best Start Family Hubs will provide targeted help for these families who have lost out on vital services?”

The Best Start in Life strategy promises a major expansion of early years support through new Family Hubs and other measures, but has so far provided little detail on how children with complex needs, particularly those from care experienced backgrounds, will be supported.

Mr Gordon, who has previously campaigned for greater recognition of the challenges adoptive and kinship families face, warned that warm words about opportunity and fairness ring hollow if they are not matched by targeted support for those most in need.

Tom said: 

“You can’t claim to be giving every child the best start in life while pulling away the very services that help some of our most vulnerable children heal from trauma.

“The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund has been a lifeline for many families in Harrogate and Knaresborough, and across the country. 

Cutting it now will only push more families into crisis, and ultimately cost more, financially and emotionally, down the line.”

Mr Gordon is calling on the Department for Education to urgently clarify whether Best Start Family Hubs will offer specialist therapeutic services for adopted and kinship care children, and to restore ringfenced funding for families needing post-permanence support.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

              •            The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) provides therapeutic support for children who have been adopted or are in special guardianship arrangements.

              •            Recent changes have seen funding reduced and criteria tightened, leading to concerns from charities, parents, and professionals across the sector.