Three adoption agencies in North East and North Cumbria have partnered with the local ICB to secure funding to improve services for adopted children.
The Department for Education has allocated £1m to the partnership, which is intended to strengthen the working relationship between the local NHS and adoption services.
The new team will work to speed up support assessments with social workers, psychologists and other specialists, and will work with the NHS to improve the understanding of the support a child and their family might need.
Comprised of three social workers, two clinical psychologists, two occupational speech therapists and a manager, the preventative service is intended to reduce the impact of problems on children by streamlining access to services.
The team will work with children aged four to 11 and their families who request adoption support with behaviours which may indicate neurodiversity, attachment or trauma issues, and which have had an impact on the child’s education or relationships.
The ICB has partnered with Adopt North East, Adopt Coast to Coast and Adoption Tees Valley.
David Purdue, executive chief nurse at North East and North Cumbria ICB, said: ‘Adoptive families make a huge contribution to the lives of children who often have a range of complex needs. From psychological support to help with speech and language, this new team can help with school, health and social care to ensure our most vulnerable children have the best possible start in life.’
The funding comes as part of the Government’s national adoption strategy which invited regional adoption agencies to apply for funding for projects to improve the support available in adoption and to strengthen links with health services.
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