Specialist youth service for adopted young people receives £100K cash injection

Adoption UK is thrilled to receive a £100,000 donation from Barclays to help establish the first UK-wide specialist service for adopted young people.  

The donation will part fund the charity’s Chance to Thrive programme, to help adopted young people share experiences, gain new skills, and make connections with others who understand them.  

The programme will be led by adopted young people supported by a dedicated team of youth workers.   

Earlier this year Adoption UK published its Adoption Barometer report which reveals two-thirds (64%) of adopted people aged 16+ have sought help with their mental health.  

The report also found that almost half (46%) of adopted people aged 16-25 were involved with mental health services in 2020, compared to the national figure of 17%. Yet most say they have been unable to access the support they need. Problems are often compounded by children falling through the cracks between child and adult services.  

Chance to Thrive aims to reduce these numbers through specialist engagement activities, which allow young people to shape services directly for themselves. It hopes to establish a national youth service across the whole of the UK over the next three years. 

Adoption UK’s CEO Sue Armstrong Brown said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to receive this incredibly generous donation for our Chance to Thrive programme which will help adopted young people create a positive future which is not determined by their past.  

“Three quarters of the children adopted have been removed from their birth families due to abuse or neglect. All young people need to feel understood and to build trusting relations with others. Early trauma can disrupt mental health, ability to trust and affect future life chances. This is why we urgently need to work with adopted young people to create services which provide not only a sense of connection, safety and support, but opportunities to be heard and seen.”  

Barclays is supporting Adoption UK through its 100×100 Programme, as part of its wider £100m COVID-19 Community Aid Package. Nigel Higgins, Barclays Chairman, said: “Our 100×100 charity partners have been working tirelessly to support vulnerable communities across the UK through what has been a difficult year.”