News

The figures confirm the central role that fostering plays in the care system, which further cements the need to ensure that the right foster carers are available for each child, and that foster carers receive the proper financial and practical support needed.

Recruiting the right people to become foster carers is difficult, and is an ongoing challenge for fostering services. The Fostering Network estimates that a further 7,000 foster families are needed in the next year, but this is what recruitment teams do all day, every day, and – contrary to some recent media statements – we believe it’s entirely achievable.

Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network said: 'We read today’s report from the BBC and Adoption UK about the number of adoptive families who are in ‘crisis’ with great concern and sadness. The children who are being talked about in the report are the children who thousands of foster carers are looking after every day, and we recognise the difficulties and challenges being described.

In response to the findings of the survey of frontline social workers carried out on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Children (APPGC), Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said: ‘We have read with concern the findings of the survey which found that thresholds for qualifying as a "child in need" had risen over the last three years and that the majority of social workers feel that financial considerations are a key factor when d

Responding to the announcement by the Scottish Government of the establishment of a core group to 'review foster, kinship and adoption allowances to bring forward proposals for national kinship care and foster care allowances in summer 2018', Sara Lurie, director of The Fostering Network in Scotland, said: 'The Fostering Network has been campaigning for many years for the introduction of a minimum fostering allowance in Scotland.

New guidance which aims to provide a framework of best practice to assist all parties in the implementation of staying put is being launched at the charity's conference taking place today in Durham. Staying Put: Guidance for Children and Young People Services, Fostering Services and Leaving Care Services is based on the legislation, statutory guidance and standards that govern services for looked after children, care leavers and fostering services in England.

From Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network:

Now the furore from this week’s headline-dominating fostering story has begun to die down, it seems a good time for a moment’s considered reflection on some of the very important issues the story raised.