Kasim Mahmood is a Commissioning Manager within the Adoption England National Team. As part of his role, Kasim has been involved in supporting the development and delivery of the Adoption England Community Development Fund, helping to provide opportunities for people with lived experience of adoption help to turn their ideas, passion and expertise into meaningful support for others via grant funding.
In this blog, Kasim shares more about the vision behind the fund, the importance of lived experience in shaping support, and the impact that community-led projects can have for adopted people, adoptive families and birth families.
We know that some of the most valuable support within adoption communities comes from people who have lived through those experiences themselves. Adoptive parents, adopted people and birth families bring a depth of understanding that cannot always be found elsewhere. They know the challenges, the questions, the moments of uncertainty, and importantly, they know what can make a real difference.
That is why this fund was created: to help small grassroots (experts by experience) organisations and community groups grow, develop and provide support that reflects the real needs of the people they serve.
We wanted to invest in ideas that strengthen communities, reduce isolation and create spaces where people feel understood, valued and connected. Whether that was through peer support groups, activities for children and young people, mentoring, short breaks, creative projects or practical advice, we were interested in the impact these initiatives could have.
The message we heard throughout the process was clear: sometimes it is the smallest opportunities that create the biggest changes.
Supporting people who know what it means to live adoption
The first cohort of the Community Development Fund launched in 2025/26, with £50,000 awarded to 11 small grassroots organisations led by experts by experience.
These organisations brought forward inspiring ideas, each responding to different needs within the adoption community. What united them was their commitment to making sure people felt less alone and more supported. You can read about the successful bidders here.
Since then, we have received the majority of end-of-grant reports from successful bidders, and the impact has been incredibly encouraging.
We have seen new groups established, friendships formed, confidence grow and families finding spaces where they can share their experiences openly.
For example, Beacon Family Services created online peer-led sessions for adoptive parents, with 356 people attending. Participants spoke about previously feeling blamed, isolated and lacking confidence. Through these sessions, people told us they felt heard, understood and more confident in supporting their children.
Parenting Special Children delivered sessions for young people and families, supporting children who have experienced adversity and who may have additional needs. They worked hard to make their groups inclusive, ensuring neurodivergent young people were welcomed and supported rather than excluded. They have already seen friendships develop and confidence increase among those attending.
These are exactly the kinds of outcomes we hoped the fund would encourage: communities growing around shared understanding and people finding support from others who truly get it.
One parent who attended Walking with Families described the value of their peer group:
“Can I just say how much I get from the weekly peer group sessions. It is such a relief to feel that we aren’t alone in our experience of adoptive parenting and to be able to have the understanding and conversations that you just can’t have with many other people.”
Another parent involved with Parenting Special Children shared:
“It is the only group of its kind. It is an essential part in enabling the wellbeing of my family. When we have issues that no-one else would understand, we go to Let's Get Creative and everyone gets it.”
For me, these words capture why this fund matters. It is not just about funding activities; it is about creating belonging and community.
This year’s funding
Following the success of the first cohort, I am delighted that we are continuing the Community Development Fund for 2026/27.
We received applications from passionate organisations and groups who shared our commitment to improving adoption support. The successful projects are:
| Adoption Academy – South West (Parenting From Hostility to Harmony) | Providing online training, peer support and practical tools for adopters experiencing significant challenges with their children’s behaviour. Through webinars, a buddy scheme and peer networks, the project will help families strengthen relationships, build confidence and improve wellbeing. |
| Adult Adoptee Movement – National (The Big Adoptee Meetup) | A hybrid, adoptee-led conference bringing together adult adoptees through expert speakers, workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities. The project will create spaces for connection, shared learning and tailored support for different adoptee communities. |
| Beacon Family Services – West Midlands / National (Walking with Families) | A peer-led support community offering regular online support, specialist support for adoptive fathers, and trauma-informed approaches to help families navigate challenges, strengthen relationships and feel less alone. |
| Breaks For Families – Lincs & East Midlands (National Forest Activity Pathways Break) | A three-day activity break bringing adoptive families together through shared experiences, helping young people and parents build friendships, confidence and a sense of community through specialist activities including animal care and cycling. |
| CAPS – Cumbria Adoption Peer Support – North West (CAPS Launch and First Year) | Creating a peer-led support community for adoptive parents across Cumbria, offering support from approval through to adoption and beyond through buddy schemes, peer groups and family meet-ups. |
| Connective Family – South East (Connective Parenting Support Group) | Providing weekly trauma-informed and neurodiversity-friendly support groups for adoptive parents, helping families access early support, build confidence and reduce isolation, particularly for newer adopters and solo adopters. |
| Creating Adoption Networks – South East (Let’s Camp) | A peer-support camping programme offering families a safe and understanding environment to relax, build relationships and share experiences. Through activities, shared meals, ongoing support and follow-up events, families can create lasting connections. |
| DAWTA CIC – North West (DAWTA CIC Connections) | Creating opportunities for transracial adoptees and fostered adults to connect, express themselves and share experiences through a range of wellbeing and cultural activities including dance, music, cooking, singing and creative writing. |
| Farm Friends – South East (Farm Friends) | A peer-led community supporting adoptive families through mentor training and animal-based family sessions. The programme will help children and young people build friendships, confidence, belonging and positive relationships through shared experiences. |
| How To Be Adopted – London and National (Free Yoga For Adoptees) | A 20-week trauma-informed yoga programme supporting the wellbeing and emotional regulation of adopted adults through free in-person sessions in London and online sessions available across the UK. |
| It Takes A Village (ITAV) – North West (Global Majority & Transracial Adoption Project [GM & TRA]) | Strengthening peer support for Global Majority and Transracial Adoptive families through online groups, family events, cultural workshops, specialist training and community-led networks. |
| Jenna Blair Yoga Wellbeing Centre – West Midlands and National (Gentle Yoga for Adoptive Parents) | Offering free gentle yoga sessions for adoptive parents, both online and in person, to support wellbeing, reduce stress and create opportunities for connection and self-care. |
| MAA – Movement for an Adoption Apology – London / National (MAA Regional Meetings) | Creating safe and welcoming spaces for birth parents, families and adoptees affected by historic forced adoption to share experiences, build connections and access peer support. |
| Parenting Special Children – London (Let’s Get Creative) | An adoptive parent-led programme offering therapeutic art, music and creative activities for adopted children and young people, alongside peer support opportunities for parents. |
| Proud 2 b Parents – North West (Families Through Adoption) | A peer-led support programme for LGBT+ adopters, prospective adopters and their families, providing meet-ups, digital support, online networks and advocacy throughout the adoption journey. |
| Seaglass Collective – Yorkshire and Humber (Creative Parent Programme) | A series of creative workshops exclusively for adoptive parents, offering opportunities to learn new skills while building connections, accessing peer support and taking time for self-care. |
| Team Dandelion CIC – South East (Team Dandelion – A Parent Support Hub) | Monthly support hubs providing adoptive parents with peer support, advice and access to specialist professionals. The project will strengthen family resilience through support around areas such as behaviour, attachment, school challenges and parental wellbeing. |
| The Belay Foundation – North West (Building a Network of Disability Benefit Mentors) | Training adopter mentors to support families navigating disability benefit applications, helping adoptive families access guidance and practical support from people with lived experience. |
| The Hub & Altrincham Baptist Church – North West (Paddington’s Youth Activity Group) | A trauma-informed youth group for adopted and care-experienced young people aged 12–17, creating opportunities to build friendships, confidence and social skills in a safe and supportive environment. |
| The Olive Hut – North West (Rise) | A trauma-informed mentoring and peer support programme for adopted young people aged 11–16, combining one-to-one mentoring with group activities to build confidence, connection and wellbeing. |
| The Wild Adoptees CIC – West Midlands (Wild Adoptee Retreat) | A three-day residential retreat for adult adoptees combining nature-based wellbeing activities, trauma-informed workshops and peer support to reduce isolation, explore identity and strengthen connections. |
| Thriving Adoptees (Simon Benn Limited) – Yorkshire and Humber (Thriving Together: A Support & Learning Community for Adopted People, Adopters and Birth Parents) | A co-designed peer support project bringing together adopted people, adopters and birth parents through online gatherings that build understanding, reduce isolation and create meaningful connections. |
| We Are Family – National (The Teens and Tweens Support Programme [for Adoptive Parents]) | Providing ongoing peer support, community activities and practical resources for adoptive parents of children and young people aged 9–25+, helping families feel connected, confident and supported. |
Building something that lasts
As we move into the next phase of the fund, we want to do more than provide financial support. We want to build a stronger network of organisations and individuals who can learn from each other, share good practice and work together.
One of our next steps will be establishing a network and buddy system for successful bidders and looking at how we can support people who may not yet have the formal structures needed to apply for funding . We hope this will create opportunities for organisations to share experiences, solve challenges together and strengthen the support they provide.
A key part of our longer-term work will be developing resources and guidance to help individuals and groups understand how they can grow, become established and become sustainable through other funding routes.
The Community Development Fund is about more than one grant round. It is about recognising the expertise that exists within adoption communities and creating the conditions for that expertise to thrive.
The strongest communities are built by the people within them. This fund gives those people the opportunity to lead, create and make change happen.
I am excited to see the positive difference these initiatives will make for adoptees, adopters, and young people.