Urgent Funding Needed to Provide Vital Therapy for Vulnerable Adopted Children
The Purple Elephant Project (PEP), a children’s mental health charity based in Twickenham, is facing a critical funding crisis that threatens to disrupt the essential therapy services it provides to over 50 children and their families, who are raising adopted children with incredibly complex emotional needs. With the imminent end of the government’s Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) on March 31st, 2025, the charity is urgently appealing for public support to bridge this funding gap.
Ten years ago, when David Cameron was prime minister, he passionately encouraged families to step forward to adopt. His government launched high-profile adoption campaigns, promising families ongoing support through the ASGSF and rightly describing the long wait for children as a “tragedy.” A decade on, with a new government, those promises ring hollow and adopters now feel abandoned and are worried about the devastating consequences this could have on their children.
The Purple Elephant Project’s therapy services are a lifeline for children who have endured immense instability, trauma, and loss. Many of these children have spent months or years in the care system. The charity’s specialised creative therapies work with children as young as four years old, providing crucial support to help them process difficult life events, rebuild trust, confidence, and emotional resilience. Without immediate intervention, these children and families face the real possibility of placement breakdowns, loss of education, and further emotional harm. The long-term consequences could be devastating. The charity urgently needs to raise £50,000 to cover the cost of weekly therapy sessions for the 50 children currently relying on ASGSF funding.
“We simply cannot afford any interruption to our services for these children,” says Jenny Haylock, CEO of The Purple Elephant Project. “These children have already endured so much trauma and instability in their lives. The therapy we provide is essential for their emotional well-being and their futures. We urgently need the public’s support to ensure we can continue this vital work without disruption.”
To donate and help ensure these children continue to receive the support they desperately need, please visit the Purple Elephant Project’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/pep-urgent-appeal. Supporters are also encouraged to share the campaign to help raise awareness and funds.
Should the government decide to continue funding the ASGSF, any donations raised will be used directly to support the many other children on the charity’s waitlist who are also in desperate need of care.
About The Purple Elephant Project: The Purple Elephant Project is a children’s mental health charity based in Twickenham, UK. The organisation consists of dedicated therapists, professionals, and volunteers who provide vital therapy services to children, particularly those who have faced trauma and instability. Specialising in creative therapies, the charity helps children rebuild trust, confidence, and emotional resilience.
