- Government to reverse trend which has seen the number of new
foster carers fall by 10% since 2021
- New action in early 2026 to address urgent need for more
foster carers and support retention of existing carers
- As families gather for Christmas, testimonies
reveal that fostering is an extremely rewarding
calling
Vulnerable children in the care system in England will be
provided with more stable and loving homes, thanks to government
plans to radically accelerate foster carer recruitment.
The government has committed to tackling the growing shortage of
foster carers across England, confirming that a comprehensive
package of reforms will be introduced in the new year to increase
the number of foster places available and support the
retention of existing carers.
The latest figures published by Ofsted highlight the scale of the
challenge inherited by this government. At the end of March 2025,
there were 33,435 fostering households – a 10% decline since
2021.
Foster carer recruitment is a key area of government reform, with
the package of measures addressing the urgent need for more
places for children in the social care system.
A lack of foster homes pushes children into residential care,
where they have worse expected outcomes in
education, health and long-term prospects, and where
they can become more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, as
highlighted in the Casey Audit.
Over the Christmas period, foster carers are sharing their
experiences of welcoming children into their homes. Their
stories demonstrate the lasting impact of stable,
supportive care, which the government is further strengthening
through the landmark Children's Wellbeing and Schools
Bill.
Minister for Children and Families, , said:
“Fostering changes lives – not just for children who
need safety, stability and love, but for the families
who open their homes to them.
“We know the number of foster carers has been falling, and that
is why this government will be taking decisive action
to give stable and loving homes to children that need
them.
“The festive season highlights the urgent need to get more
children in care into loving, supportive homes where they can
thrive – I'd urge anyone who has considered fostering to look
into signing up.”
The fostering reforms to be introduced early in the new year will
be backed by new funding for children's social care announced at
the Spending Review and will focus on:
- Expanding who can become foster carers, removing
unnecessary barriers and enabling more people with full-time
jobs or families of their own to offer foster care, and removing
unnecessary barriers
- Better supporting carers to fit fostering around busy family
and working lives
- Developing innovative models of fostering, informed by
insights from foster carers and
frontline practitioners.
These reforms will expand the pool of potential foster carers,
enabling more children to find places in foster homes. They will
also ensure existing foster carers receive better support to help
them continue delivering for children.
Further details will be set out in the new year, with a
consultation expected to launch in early 2026.
Experiences of fostering
This festive season, the government is urging people who are
able to foster to consider doing so.
Foster carers are sharing their experiences of welcoming children
into their homes, demonstrating that fostering can be
rewarding and that carers do not need to fit a traditional mould
to provide excellent care.
Around Christmas, routines change and feelings of loneliness and
uncertainty can be heightened for children in care. This
highlights the ongoing need for stable, supportive placements
with carers who can access support including a weekly fostering
allowance, training and advice networks.
Amy Burns, founder of Messy Fostering, was fostered at 14 and
spent summers with her teacher Jo, who stepped in to support. Her
experience illustrates how fostering can succeed outside
conventional family structures.
Amy Burns said:
“The simple truth is that fostering saved my
life… That's it. At 14, I had already been let down by
so many adults. I suddenly found myself surrounded by adults who
not only taught me how to advocate for myself, but were
there to catch me when things weren't going quite
right. Fostering isn't simple or easy but I
was finally safe and I slowly learned how to breathe
again.”
The government will continue to work closely with local
authorities, fostering agencies and carers to ensure that the
2026 reforms deliver a sustainable, high-quality fostering system
that meets the needs of children now and in the future.
