The Relationships In Good Hands - RIGHT Trial

The Relationships in Good Hands (RIGHT) Trial is exploring the effectiveness of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) versus other services.

We are currently recruiting adoptive / permanent foster care families of 5-12 year olds in selected UK areas. The Relationships In Good Hands (RIGHT) Trial. Clinical and cost effectiveness of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy for abused and neglected young children with maltreatment-associated problems and their parents. Our questions are:

Can we recommend better ways for social care and health

services to work work together to help adoptive and foster families? Can a therapy called DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) improve the mental health of 5-12 year old fostered or adopted children? Is DDP worth the commitment families need to give to it - and the extra cost to the services that deliver it? Why is this important? Nearly all adopted or fostered children in the UK have been abused and neglected. More than half have mental health problems including ADHD (i.e. hyperactivity, impulsive behaviour and poor concentration), antisocial behaviour and problems with relationships. Abused and neglected children are more likely than others to have problems in school, become homeless, get involved in crime and even die young (e.g. from suicide), yet we have no fully tested treatments for their complex mental health problems. This is a huge problem because early treatment could greatly improve their life chances - and reduce strain on health and social care budgets. DDP is a parent-child therapy that takes around 20 sessions and focuses on “Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy” (PACE). We don’t yet have really good evidence for or against it: many UK therapists like DDP, but it is a big commitment for families: once a week for about six months children will need time off school, their parents will need time off work - and this can be hard to explain to school friends, colleagues and bosses. We don’t just need to know if DDP improves children’s mental health – we also need to know if the commitment needed is worth it for families and whether the costs to services outweigh the benefits. How do we plan to do this? In PHASE 1 (9 months) we will find out whether DDP can work smoothly in the three different settings where it is usually delivered: the NHS, Social Care and Private Practice. Many abused children need other medical and psychiatric support so, before including an area in the next phase of the study, we will assess whether children can get any additional assessments or referrals they might need. We will use in-depth interviews with therapists and service managers linked to DDP and usual services to make this judgement. In PHASE 2 (17 months), we plan to find out if it is practically possible to run a high quality trial of DDP. This phase will involve 60 families to find out if they are happy to take part (whether offered DDP or usual services) and make sure everything works well. If all goes to plan, these 60 families will contribute to the final results, along with the 120 families involved in the next phase. In PHASE 3 (27 months) we will test whether DDP is better than usual services and, if it is, whether the improvements in child mental health outweigh the costs. Adoptive parents, foster carers and young people who have been in care as well as Health and Social Care Commissioners have advised us and will continue to do so throughout the study. What impact will the research have? NICE Guidelines say abused and neglected children need help from health AND social care but, in practice, families often bounce around services without getting what they need. This study will make recommendations about how services should work together to help abused and neglected children and their families. If we find that DDP is worth the time and money, it could improve the mental health of abused and neglected children across the world.

11/03/2026

Take a look at our newsletter updating the progress of the Trial

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16/11/2025

The campaign against these cuts in funding is growing every day

And we’re in the Sunday Mirror - full page exclusive…

With thanks to the wonderful Brian Cox OBE who joined our growing list of supporters including the wonderful Anna Maxwell Martin, Richard Hope, Peter Stefanovic, Michael Spicer Rachel Parris

We will never give up. Not until the government reverse the cuts, conduct an independent and robust consultation with the sector and families, and make the ASGSF a permanent, ring-fenced fund.

We love our children. And they deserve so much better from this government. The evidence is there, they do not need to wait. Government rhetoric is not the reality.

Sign our open letter here:

https://asgsfprotest.com/add-your-signature-an-open-letter-to-josh-macalister-mp-minister-for-children-and-families/

14/11/2025

Yesterday, the campaign team met with the Minister for Children and Families, Josh MacAlister MP, for a hard-won forty five minute meeting. We could not have been more disappointed or concerned for the future of adopted and kinship children.

The cuts to the ASGSF were made without warning, evidence or consultation. The Minister offered no credible explanation for this, and showed no willingness to engage with the impact of those cuts.

It was confirmed that neither the Department for Education nor the Minister are tracking the consequences for children and families, despite the Education Select Committee advising them to do exactly that.

We presented clear evidence of the harm already being felt, the need for timely specialist therapy, and the economic case for maintaining appropriate support.

Despite warnings from the sector, experts and families, decisions continue to ignore the reality on the ground. The Minister did not outline any credible plan, nor did he set out the principles guiding future decisions.

By the end of the meeting it was plain that neither the ASGSF nor the therapeutic needs of adopted and kinship children are being treated as priorities.

We could not have been more disappointed or concerned for the future of adopted and kinship children.

Department for Education
Adoption UK
Kinship
Bridget Phillipson
Rachel Reeves

Photos from Daydawn Therapeutic Services's post

08/11/2025

Great Day

29/10/2025

We are happy to announce that our popular Connect for Kids programme will be running again in January 2026 - and you can book your place now! https://www.beaconservices.org.uk/connect-for-kids/

ABOUT: This play-based social and emotional support group helps your child grow in confidence in a safe, therapeutic environment. Our groups are led by experienced practitioners who use Theraplay® activities to help you and your child connect through play.

WHEN: 12th January to 9th March 2026, Mondays 4-5pm. PLUS: kickoff parent session on Thursday 8th January 11am to 12 noon.

WHERE: Our Place Community Hub, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1RN (in-person)

This fantastic funded programme is offered to parents for free with thanks to Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust

Places are limited, so early birds catch the worm. We look forward to seeing you there!

Parent and Carer Survey Report, April 2025 - Action Against ASGSF Changes

28/10/2025

The campaign to reverse these cuts is absolutely vital please share LGBTQ+ Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Group CairnsMoir Connections The Family Place Children's Health ScotlandChildren's Commissioner for Englandd

Parent and Carer Survey Report, April 2025 - Action Against ASGSF Changes Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) Parent/Carer Survey – Assessing the impact on families following April 2025 Changes to the Fund Download the full report here. Download a summary of the report here. On 14th April 2025, following a prolonged period of uncertainty regarding the...

28/10/2025

The reality of the brutal cuts in the Adoption & Special Guardianship Support Fund is well documented in the ASGSF Parent/Carer Survey
Follow the link below

Photos from The Relationships In Good Hands - RIGHT Trial's post

24/06/2025

CairnsMoir Connections

24/06/2025

Guess where we are promoting the RIGHT Trial today …here is a clue 🙂

12/06/2025

Still time to take part in the trial !

Help improve mental health and relationship outcomes for adopted and fostered children. Led by Helen Minnis at the University of Glasgow, this research aims to test the effectiveness of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy. Learn more here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqaXc7A1yfU

14/03/2025

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Telephone

+441412019239

Website

https://www.gla.ac.uk/right

Address

Institute Of Health And Wellbeing University Of Glasgow 1 Lilybank Gardens
Glasgow
G128RZ