Adoptive families across Buckinghamshire set to benefit from new funding

Buckinghamshire County Council has welcomed the news that adoptive families and those children cared for by Special Guardians across the county will benefit from additional government funding.

Last month the Department for Education announced that it was channelling an extra £12m into its Adoption Support Fund, a central pot of money that is distributed to local authorities around the country in order to provide tailored support to families brought together by adoption and Special Guardianship.

In Buckinghamshire, since the fund was first introduced in 2015, the council has accessed more than £1.3m to support adoptive and special guardianship families in the county. This money has gone towards a range of projects and initiatives including a thriving Nurturing Attachments Parenting Group. The group provides a therapeutic environment for adoptive parents and special guardians experiencing challenges, to help them develop their relationships with their children.

The funding has also been used to developa wide-ranging suite of training that both families and staff can access. This better equips families and professionals in meeting the specific needs of the children.

Councillor Gareth Williams, Deputy Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “This extra funding will be of huge benefit to those families who are adopting or providing children with permanent care through Special Guardianships in Buckinghamshire. It enables us to enhance the support and services we offer and is very welcome at a time when we are receiving more and more requests for support.”