Fatima Whitbread's stinging verdict on government therapy cuts for adopted kids
The Olympic medallist, who was abandoned as a baby, has labelled the government's move to slash therapy funding by 40% for each child 'deeply disappointing'
Fatima Whitbread, who was abandoned as a baby, has hit out at cuts to therapy for adopted kids.
The Olympic medallist labelled the government's move to slash therapy funding by 40% for each child 'incredibly worrying'. And she warned it leaves some of the country's most vulnerable kids 'without access to ongoing therapeutic support'. The retired javelin world champion, 64 – who now runs a charity for children in care – called for the government to reconsider the cuts. The £50 million Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund [ASGSF] pays for therapy sessions for kids who are adopted or those looked after by family or friends in kinship care.
But the government's changes unveiled last month have dropped the per child funding from £5,000 to £3,000 each year. And the separate £2,500 per child sum set for specialist assessments has been scrapped. Meanwhile, the ASGSF now does not match fund support for kids with an exceptional need.
Fatima, who was adopted by her coach aged 14, told the Mirror: 'I was deeply disappointed by the DfE's decision to reduce the cap on ASGSF payments. These children have often experienced tragedy or trauma, and timely access to specialist support can make a crucial difference to their mental health and wellbeing. Adopted children and young people are at increased risk of mental health difficulties, with many unfortunately having experienced abuse or neglect in their early years, as well as separation from birth families.
'This significant cut to Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) - a lifeline for many of the adoptive and special guardianship families we support - is incredibly worrying and leaves some of the most vulnerable children and young people in England without access to ongoing therapeutic support.
'While it is a relief the ASGSF is continuing, we urge the government to reconsider this dramatic reduction in funding. The new budget is insufficient to provide the necessary assessment and therapy to help many adoptive and special guardianship families move forward and heal from trauma. Without reliable support, there is also an increased risk of family placements breaking down and children returning to care.'
The fund provided support to over 16,000 in 2023-4. It is available to eligible children and young people in England up to and including those who are aged 21, or 25 if they have a special education needs or education health and care plan. Fatima's intervention adds a powerful voice to those who have opposed the cuts. They include a group of charities who have written to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urging her to reconsider.
Abandoned as a baby, Fatima experienced a traumatic childhood. She was eventually adopted by javelin coach Margaret Whitbread and her husband. Last year, Fatima told the Guardian: 'I was abandoned as a baby and left to die in our flat. A neighbour heard me crying and called the police, who broke down the door and rescued me. I spent the next 14 years living in institutions, among other traumatised children. Because of the love from my foster family and my passion for sport, I count myself one of the lucky ones.'
Fatima went on to be crowned Sports Personality of the Year in 1987, and clinched a silver medal at the Olympics the following year. Later, in 2011, she came third in that year's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here – memorably, getting a cockroach stuck in her nose. More recently, Fatima set up a children's charity in a bid to improve the lives of kids in care.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We know how important this support is to families – and through our Plan for Change, we're committed to ensuring adopted and kinship families continue to receive the help they need to thrive. We are investing £50 million for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund to continue for another year. The decisions we have taken will ensure the fund is financially sustainable to allow more vulnerable children to access targeted support.'
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