Funding Cuts and EHCPs: Why Therapeutic Support Matters for Adopted Children

A recent article in SEN Magazine raises a concerning issue regarding the welfare of adopted and kinship care children in England. The piece highlights that these children, who are already living with the effects of early trauma, are increasingly finding themselves without the necessary therapeutic help due to cuts in vital support services. With thousands of children currently waiting to be adopted, the pressure on local authorities to provide adequate care and funding is significant, yet the excerpt suggests that some of the country’s most vulnerable young people are being left behind by these financial constraints.

For parents and carers involved in the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process, this news is particularly relevant. An EHCP is a legal document that sets out the special educational needs, health, and social care support a child is entitled to receive. When therapeutic support is cut at a local level, it can create a gap between what a child needs to thrive and what is actually provided. If a child’s emotional well-being is directly linked to their ability to access education, this must be clearly identified within the EHCP. Without explicit statutory provision for therapy in the plan, families may find that the support relies on discretionary local authority funds, which are the very funds being cut. This makes the EHCP not just an educational document, but a crucial safeguard for a child’s holistic development.

As a result, parents and carers should keep a close eye on how their local authority interprets 'special educational needs' in relation to emotional and behavioral support. It is important to ensure that any therapy or counseling required to help a child engage with their education is robustly evidenced and included in the final plan. If you are in the process of requesting an EHCP or appealing a decision, consider how the child’s trauma history impacts their learning. While I cannot provide specific legal advice for your individual case, it is highly advisable to seek guidance from an independent SEND advisor or specialist solicitor. They can help you understand how to articulate these needs effectively to ensure they are legally binding obligations for the local authority, rather than optional extras that can be removed due to budget pressures.

The intersection of adoption, trauma, and education funding is complex, and staying informed is key to advocating effectively for your child. I encourage you to read the full coverage from SEN Magazine to gain a deeper understanding of the broader context and the arguments made regarding the long-term costs of cutting these essential services.