British actress Anna Maxwell Martin is advocating for the government to overturn recent cuts to a crucial therapy fund aimed at supporting adopted children. The financial assistance provided through this program, designed to aid adopted and kinship children, was reduced by 40% per child earlier this year. The decision sparked outrage, leading Maxwell Martin to endorse a campaign demanding a reversal of the funding cuts before Chancellor Rachel Reeves presents the budget next month. In an interview with the Mirror, the Motherland star expressed her dismay at the cutbacks, emphasizing the negative impact on these vulnerable children. She stressed the long-term benefits of investing in early support for children, highlighting how it ultimately saves government expenditure by enabling children to thrive, secure jobs, and contribute positively to society.
Addressing Reeves directly, Maxwell Martin urged for prioritizing the needs of children, emphasizing the importance of providing therapeutic support and education. She also released a compelling video for the campaign, underscoring the right of all children, especially adopted and kinship children, to receive adequate support to overcome early-life trauma and reach their full potential. The actress emphasized the necessity of preserving the £50 million Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF), which finances therapy for vulnerable children in England. The recent government changes reduced the annual funding per child from £5,000 to £3,000, along with eliminating the £2,500 allocation for specialist assessments and discontinuing the matching funds for children with exceptional needs under the ASGSF.
A survey conducted by the Action Against ASGSF Changes group revealed that 85% of respondents, including adoptive parents and kinship carers, found the new £3,000 funding limit insufficient to meet their child’s requirements. The Mirror previously reported on the impacts of the ASGSF cuts, sharing personal stories that highlighted the positive outcomes facilitated by the therapy funded through the scheme. Despite these reductions, the Department for Education assured its commitment to supporting adoptive and kinship families through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund until April 2027. The department emphasized the importance of ensuring financial sustainability and expanding access to targeted therapeutic assistance for vulnerable children, promising a public engagement process in the upcoming year to enhance support mechanisms for families in need.