The extension of the funding will help around an extra 10,000 pupils. Previously, only children adopted from care since 30 December 2005 were eligible.
Coram’s Chief Executive, Dr Carol Homden, CBE said: “Many children who are placed for adoption are those who have been taken into care for their own protection and have had a very difficult start in life.
“We know that adoption is a huge success story for children who been adopted by loving parents. However, if you’ve had a difficult start in life it can take time and support for you to overcome these early challenges and you may need help to enable you to catch up when you’ve started school.
“We wholeheartedly welcome the extension of the Pupil Premium as a wonderful statement of support for adopted children.”
The Government also announced that 19 councils and eight voluntary adoption agencies, including Coram, are being given the green light to allow people approved to adopt to search the national Adoption Register from this September. The pilot, which begins on the 1st September and lasts for nine months, will allow approved adopters to learn more about the children who are waiting for a loving, stable home. They will be able to find out about their hobbies, likes and dislikes, and hear them speak and laugh in videos and pictures.
Welcoming the opening of the Adoption Register, Dr Homden said: “Enabling approved adopters to access the Adoption Register directly is to be welcomed.
“It is needed because we have thousands of children in need of loving adoptive homes. The Register will give adopters an opportunity to find out about more about the children who are waiting to be adopted through seeing them speak, laugh and express themselves through video and pictures.
“It is crucial that we get the process right for children and adopters and that is what we will be doing during the nine months of the pilot phase.”
For more information and an FAQ on the Pupil Premium Plus, please visit First4Adoption or speak to one of their advisers direct on 0300 222 0022.