Adoption & SGO Support
ADOPTION
What is adoption?
Adoption is a legal process that establishes a permanent relationship between an adoptive parent and child who is not biologically related to them. It involves the transfer of all legal rights and responsibilities from the biological parents to the adoptive parents.
Existing Support
Adopted children often have a difficult start in life and they may struggle in areas including but not limited to, new relationships and attachments, routines, and forming bonds. All children should be able to be part of a loving family who meet their developmental and emotional needs, however what support is in place for adoptive families?
Adoptive agencies can access universal services available for adopters and act as a central hub for information and tailored advice. Support services in your area may include:
- Educational support.
- Therapeutic support.
- Practical support
- Training and skills classes
- Peer support and mentoring
- Adoption pay and leave.
There are also many specialist organisations for adoption parents including:
- PAC-UK – whereby you can access an extensive menu of support covering a wide
area of adopters needs. - CASA – national forum representing registered adoption support agencies in the
UK. - Adoption UK – offer a wife range of services and support for adopters in the UK.
- New Family Social – provides a range of support for LGBTQ+ adopters.
- Home for Good – Faith based adoption support and guidance.
- CATCH – adoption support services and community projects for adopters.
- Barnardo’s – Dedicated support services for adopters in the Southeast of England.
- We are Family – peer support community by adopters, for adopters.
New Support
There is a launch of the new Adoption Support Plan (ASP) England (2025), developed by CoramBAAF (independent membership organisation for professionals, foster carers and adopters or anyone else working with or looking after children in or from care, or adults who have been affected by adoption). This was launched to strengthen adoption support.
The form is compliant with relevant law, regulations and statutory guidance. It is designed to be used at key stages of the adoption process: during matching, when reviewing the placement prior to adoption, and as a basis for future adoption assessments post order.
Included with the Adoption Support Plan:
a. Adopters guide to the ASP.
b. Independent Reviewing Officers guide to the ASP.
c. Practitioner’s guide to the ASP.
d. Adoption Placement Report (updated 2025) for use only with ASP.
Regular Financial Help for Adopters
Adoption pay and leave entitlements are similar to the pay and leave rights available to birth parents. Meaning that if you take time off work to adopt a child, you are likely to be eligible for ‘Statutory Adoption Leave’, for up to 52 weeks. Leave can start on the date the child starts living with you or up to 14 days before the expected placement date.
Adoption pay is equal to 90% of your salary for the first 6 weeks of pay. The remaining 33 weeks are paid at £139.58 a week or 90% of your gross average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
What if I am in a couple?
If both of you work, you may share parental leave and pay. You may share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay where the adopter takes less than their full entitlement of adoption leave and pay. The leave and pay must be taken within 52 weeks of the child being placed.
What about furniture for the child?
New adoptive parents may be eligible for a ‘settling in’ grant to help pay for large items such as a bed for your child’s bedroom, or car seats. The settling in grant is discretionary however discussions can be had with your Social Worker for how to apply.
Other forms of financial support?
There are other forms of possible financial support for adoptive parents such as:
- Child Benefit and Tax Credits.
- Disability Living Allowance for children.
- Carers allowance.
- Adoption Support Fund.
- Adoption support from the Local Authority.
SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP
What is a Special Guardianship Order?
A Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is made by a family court and states where a child will live to give them security and a long-term home until they are 18 years old. Special Guardian’s gain an enhanced form of parental responsibility. This means they can use their parental responsibility to the exclusion of others.
Many people have not heard of this form of caring, it is the middle ground between adoption and fostering. It allows children to stay connected with their family or origin retaining their sense of identity.
What is a kinship carer?
A Kinship Carer is someone, usually family or friends, who step up, often during an unexpected crisis to care for a child when their parents aren’t able to.
Financial Support from Children’s Services
If you are a Special Guardian, you may be able to get a special guardian allowance from your Local Authority, which is made at the discretion of children’s services and mean’s tested which means if you get it and how much will depend on your financial situation.
A Social Worker will assess your circumstances and decide what support is best fitted for you, this will be reviewed every year.
Financial Government support
There is a few government support benefits available that you may be able to claim that can assist with day-to-day living costs and the costs of caring for the child:
- Universal Credit – means tested for people living on low-income.
- Child Benefit – paid to anyone bringing up a child under 16 years of age or young person under 20 years of age who is in approved education or training.
- Pension Credit – If you are over state pension age, you may be able to claim for this extra money to help pay for day-to-day living costs, which will include looking after a child if you are a kinship carer.
- Guardian’s Allowance – if you are bringing up a child whose parents have died, you could be able to get a guardian’s allowance.
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund
Some kinship carers can get financial support from the adoption and special guardianship support fund. This fund can help support you in paying for essential therapeutic services, such as creative therapies or life story work. If you are eligible, children’s services can apply to the adoption support fund for you.
How much will I get with the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund?
- Up to £2,500 per child per year for a specialist assessment.
- Up to £5,000 per child per year for therapy.
However, any funding above these limits, children’s services must confirm they will match-fund any amount over the limit and that:
- There is a high risk of your special guardianship order breaking down without the extra funding.
- Children’s services are dealing with an unusually high number of complex cases that it cannot afford to fund without additional support.
- There is lack of available, affordable therapeutic support, which means more funding is needed.
Other support for Special Guardians?
The Adoption and Children Act 1001 provides the legal framework for special guardianship under the Children Act 1989. Section 115 (1) of the 2002 act inserted new sections 14A-F into the Children Act 1989. A new section (14F) provided for ‘support services for those affected by special guardians’.
Local Authorities are required to make arrangements for the provision of special guardianship support services. These include counselling, advice, information and such other services (including financial support as above) as are prescribed in the regulations. The regulations also provide for the assessment of needs for special guardianship support services and the planning and the reviewing of those support services.
