Introduction of Outcome Measurement Tools to the Adoption Support Fund application process
Published: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
As of 4 December 2023, the Department for Education (DfE) will be introducing outcome measurement tools (OMTs) to the Adoption Support Fund (ASF) process.
Since the ASF began in 2015, over £300 million of funding has supported over 45,000 children and young people. Independent evaluation and feedback from the sector show it is having a positive impact on the lives of adoptive and eligible SGO families.
Building on the independent evaluation of the ASF, the DfE is introducing the use of outcome measurement tools (OMTs) to better understand which therapies work best and help LAs and RAAs to provide the most effective support for adopted and special guardianship children, young people, and families.
Outcome measures are tools practitioners can use to help understand the difficulties a child or young person is experiencing. They can help identify what is important; what their goals are; and can track how they are progressing towards those goals over time.
Following extensive consultation with clinicians, local authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies, the DfE has selected five tools to use to measure outcomes of ASF-funded therapeutic support. From 4 December, at least one of the five tools must be used on all ASF therapy applications. The lead social worker and the provider of the therapeutic support will work with families to decide which tool is the most appropriate. The five tools are:
- Assessment Checklist (AC)
- Brief Assessment Checklist (BAC)
- Goal Based Outcomes (GBO)
- Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)
- Thinking about your child – revised (TAYC-R)
The introduction of outcome measurement tools in no way impacts decisions about any application made to the ASF for your child or family. The only difference is that once any agreed therapy starts, the measurement tool will be used at the beginning and end of therapy to measure progress.
For further information about the OMT process please see the attached information and FAQ document.
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