In England, adoption regulations stipulate that therapists providing adoption-related support or counselling services to children must be registered with Ofsted as an Adoption Support Agency (ASA) unless they are operating under contract with a registered adoption agency or local authority adoption service. The regulations apply to individual therapists as well as agencies offering therapeutic services. This registration requirement is designed to ensure that those working in this sensitive area have the necessary qualifications and experience to safeguard the well-being of those affected by adoption. Therapists working solely with adults (adopted adults, adoptive parents, birth parents) are not required, since December 2023, to be Ofsted Registered.
In Wales, the requirements are the same for children as in England, and therapists providing adoption-related support for children must be registered with Care Inspectorate Wales. Therapists working solely with adults, if adoption-related, must also register with CIW.
Q&A for parents
You might be able to pay privately for therapy sessions, but it depends on a number of factors. If the therapist is Ofsted registered themselves then you can choose any therapist you wish. If your child is pre-Adoption Order, you will need to include the child’s Local Authority in this discussion. If you have the Adoption Order, then this is your choice. If the therapist is not Ofsted registered, then you cannot use them unless they are registered with an Adoption/Support Agency or Local Authority that is Ofsted registered, and the therapist has a contract with that agency to do a specific piece of work with you.
You can pay privately for therapy sessions with a therapist as an adult, whether they are Ofsted registered or not; this is not a requirement. However, if the therapist is part of the CCS Therapy Service, then the contract will need to be via CCS.
Yes, there is no restriction on individuals paying a therapist for sessions where the main focus isn’t adoption. Please do your own due diligence on their qualifications, professional body registration and experience.
Yes, but you will need to do your own research about their suitability to help your family and make arrangements about payments directly with them, if they are not already part of the CCS Therapy Service. If they have their own Ofsted registration, then you can make these arrangements directly with them. You may wish to read the latest Ofsted inspection report on their practice to assess their suitability to work with you (if your child is pre-Adoption Order, you will need to include the child’s Local Authority in this discussion; if you have the Adoption Order, then this is your choice). However, if CCS introduced you to this therapist, then the contract will need to be via CCS.
CCS Adoption has a range of therapists and psychologists who have been specifically identified as suitable to work with adoption families. They have been through our rigorous HR recruitment process and work with adoption families under our Ofsted Registration. If CCS has introduced you to them, then any private sessions will need to be arranged via CCS Adoption, even if they have their own Ofsted registration.
Yes, you can pay for extra sessions before/during or after your funding with the ASGSF. However, if you do not yet have the Adoption Order for your child, please include the child’s Local Authority in these discussions. If with a therapist from the CCS Therapy Team, then this must be arranged via CCS, not directly with the therapist.
You may wish to ask them to approach an Ofsted-registered organisation to connect themselves with an Adoption/Support Agency or Local Authority, which would allow them to carry out adoption work. The Adoption/Support Agency or LA may or may not agree to this.
Contact our therapeutic service at therapeuticservices@ccsadoption.org with your query, and we will get back to you within 5 working days.
CCS Adoption can give you the costing for a specific therapist working via CCS Adoption when you contact us. We can email you the most up-to-date costings. This will cover the cost of the therapist’s time, CCS’s administration/management and Ofsted registration.
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