ADOPTION & SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP SUPPORT FUND (ASF) SPECIALIST SERVICES
Based in Berkhamsted

The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund was established in recognition of the additional needs for many adoptive and SGO families, and the difficulties in being able to access specialist support. The Adoption Support Fund (ASF) provides funded therapeutic support for adoptive families and children who have experienced early adversity and attachment-related challenges.

The Lotus Psychology Practice is led by Dr Morvwen Duncan, who has led on international research identifying the mental health needs of adopted children, and importantly, being the first to recognise the impact of a child's early experiences, and current challenges on the development of trauma symptoms in adoptive parents.

Having worked at national and world-renowned NHS services, such as the Attachment and Trauma Team at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Tavistock Fostering, Adoption and Kinship Care Team, our Psychologists are specialists in working with adopted or looked-after young people and their families and carers.

We provide a variety of services, including specialist assessment, evidence-based therapy, therapeutic parenting support and training.

At The Lotus Psychology Practice, we work collaboratively with local authorities and social workers to provide services funded through the Adoption Support Fund.

1. Talk to your Local Authority or Regional Adoption Agency: You will be allocated a social worker who will assess your individual needs and apply for the fund.

2. ASF Eligibility: If therapeutic support is recommended, the authority applies for ASF funding on your behalf.

3. Therapeutic services can be commissioned, with specific and specialist providers, like us. You can request a specific service or Psychologist as part of the commissioning process.

4. Delivery and Review: We work closely with local authorities and social workers to regularly review progress, and attend multi-agency meetings to ensure a collaborative and supportive professional network.

We welcome any local authorities or social workers to contact us directly.

How We Support Adoptive Families Through ASF

How The Adoption Support Fund Works

Book an Appointment

ADOPTION SUPPORT FUND SERVICES

ASSESSMENT OF THERAPEUTIC NEED

Our assessments for adopted children identify what type of therapeutic support is necessary. We use a range of assessment methods tailored to the individual circumstance and draw upon the research evidence-base in our reports and recommendations.

THERAPY FOR ADOPTED CHILDREN

Our team are experienced in the unique and complex challenges for adopted children and their families. Our clinicians are trained in a range of trauma-informed therapeutic approaches and working within a multi-agency setting.

THERAPEUTIC PARENTING SUPPORT

Our therapeutic parenting approaches are adapted to the unique challenges facing adoptive parents. We understand the impact of parenting a child with early life adversity or many unknowns in their life, and the impact that this can have on a young person's behaviours or emotions in the family home.

TRAINING

We create bespoke workshops and training programmes for schools, charities and health/social work organisations delivered by Clinical Psychologists. This can be individualised to your needs, on subjects such as attachment, mental health and trauma, challenging behaviour, neurodiversity.

IN THE MEDIA: Our Clinical Lead, Dr Morvwen Duncan

Publications:

Duncan, M., Fearon, P., & Woolgar, M. (2024). Primary and secondary trauma in adoptive parents. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Duncan, M., Fearon, P. & Woolgar, M. (2024). A qualitative exploration of how adoptive parents experience the direct and indirect trauma of their child’s early maltreatment. Adoption & Fostering.
Duncan, M., Woolgar, M., Ransley, R., & Fearon, P. (2021). Mental health and behavioural difficulties in adopted children: A systematic review of post-adoption risk and protective factors. Adoption & Fostering.

Contacting Morvwen was without question one of the best decisions we have ever made for our daughter. Although she is not local, we chose Morvwen because of her expertise and, most importantly, her genuine understanding of our daughter’s needs. We initially self-funded before most of our sessions were supported through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. The work Morvwen has done with our daughter has been exceptional. I was initially worried about engagement, but from the very first session our daughter felt safe and able to open up. This is entirely due to Morvwen’s calm, compassionate, and empathetic approach. My daughter described her as “helpful and understanding.” Morvwen always offered practical solutions and support and went above and beyond by attending meetings with myself and our daughter’s school to provide advice when needed.
Throughout one of the most difficult periods of our daughter’s life, Morvwen has been a constant positive influence — offering stability, reassurance, and belief when it mattered most. The impact this has had on our daughter’s confidence and emotional wellbeing has been profound.
As our daughter transitions to support from local CAMHS, Morvwen has ensured a thoughtful and supportive handover and has kindly offered check-ins to help our daughter manage this change, which means a great deal to us.
I cannot thank Morvwen enough for the care, dedication, and kindness she has shown our daughter. If you're looking for a psychologist , local or not — I cannot recommend Morvwen and The Lotus Psychology Practice highly enough.

ADOPTION & SPECIAL GUARDIANSHIP SUPPORT FUND (ASF) SPECIALIST SERVICES Based in Berkhamsted