New recruitment campaign aims to create 10,000 new foster care places

England is facing a significant shortfall in foster care placements, prompting the government to launch its first national foster carer recruitment campaign. This initiative targets adults in their 30s and 40s as part of a broader effort to address the declining number of foster households at a time when the number of children in care is on the rise.

The Need for Foster Care

Viennetta Basterfield, 67, who has fostered over 100 children in her west London home, expressed her concerns about the future of fostering. After two decades of providing care, she and her husband stepped back during the COVID-19 pandemic. Basterfield shared her motivations, stating,

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"The greatest gift you can give a child is to show them that they matter."

However, she noted that increasing bureaucracy and the challenges of balancing fostering with personal responsibilities are deterring potential new carers.

Recruitment Campaign Details

The new campaign aims to create 10,000 additional foster care places by the end of the current parliamentary term. The number of fostering households has decreased by 10% since 2021, and over one-third of current foster carers are aged 60 or older. The government is also trialing new models of fostering, including short-term and weekend placements, to make fostering more accessible.