DDP Connects UK and Ireland is pleased to announce the publication of revised guidance around commissioning Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) in England.
The ASGSF provides funding to adoptive families and those with a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) in England for therapeutic services through local authorities (LAs) and Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs).
This guidance applies to all clinicians providing DDP through the ASGSF and is intended to help people providing, commissioning and receiving DDP to be clear about how to recognise DDPIW Practitioners in Training, DDPIW Practitioners and DDPIW Consultants. The key advice is as follows:
It is recommended that clinicians should be open and honest with RAAs and LAs about the level of DDP training and certification they possess. They should also be explicit about this throughout their work and at each stage of review so that families are also aware.
It confirms that from April 2027 we will only be advising that professionals on their DDPIW Practitioner Practicum and above (as outlined in table 1 in the guidance document) and who are supervised by a DDPIW Consultant can apply for ASGSF funding. The interim period will give those delivering ‘DDP informed therapy’ time to enter their practicum or change the way they describe the work they are doing to accurately reflect the therapy they are delivering.
Clinicians should inform the commissioning RAA or LA who is their DDPIW Consultant or a named or DDPIW Consultant in Training.
It is advised that clinicians also have a core training that equips them to provide therapeutic interventions from an attachment and developmental trauma perspective. This core training is required for a clinician to start the DDPIW Practitioner practicum.
The guidance also contains a very helpful table of DDP training and certification stages, including the correct terms that should be used by clinicians to describe themselves and their work at each stage.
You can download Delivering DDP Therapy through The ASGSF in England from the DDP Resource Library. If you are a clinician delivering therapy through the ASGSF and have any questions please contact your DDPIW Consultant, you can contact Anna Binnie-Dawson at anna@ddpnetwork.org; Izzy at Izzy@ddpnetwork.org or get in touch through our contact form.
