Funding boost welcomed for children in care
A MULTI-MILLION pound funding boost to find permanent homes for thousands of children in care more quickly has been welcomed by Staffordshire County Council.
Mark Sutton, cabinet member for children and young people, has backed the announcement on additional Government funding for adoption services and said: “It is vital we do everything in our power to make sure that, where it is the right plan for a child, they are able to move in with their new adoptive family as soon as possible.”
The announcement by Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi will see new investment of £160million over three years to build on existing support.
“Funding will help remove remaining barriers and reduce delays for thousands more children still waiting in care, so they can be matched more quickly with the right family.
In the plans, adoptive families will also receive additional support including therapies, family support sessions and activities to help children recover from earlier traumas like abuse or neglect, helping them settle into their new families and homes.
The total investment includes £144 million for the Government’s Adoption Support Fund to strengthen support for new and growing adoptive families, which has already helped nearly 40,000 adoptive families since 2015.
Mr Sutton added: “This additional funding is great news for children waiting for adoption and for those potential adopters in Staffordshire.
“In the vast majority of cases we are able to find children a loving family without delay. But we know it can take us longer to find families for some children, like those over 4 years of age, or siblings who need to live together.
“Our regional adoption partnership is working well and we have increased the number of families coming forward to adopt a child over the last 2 years.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about adopting a child and making a real difference to their lives can talk with a friendly member of the Together4children team on 0300 11 8044 or visit www. together4children.co.uk