Campaigns Blog *Election Special*

In the run up to the 2015 election we met with all the main parties, and were successful in that commitments related to fostering appeared in the Liberal Democrat and Green Parties’ manifestos. We have been in touch again this year asking them to keep to those commitments, and have reiterated our message to the Conservatives and Labour parties as well.

During the campaign you may meet prospective MPs on the campaign trail. We’re asking you to speak up for foster care when you meet them! 

First and foremost introduce yourself as a foster carer. Tell them about your day to day life - what motivates you to continue and how you think it could be improved

• Ask them to pledge to improve foster care – these are five areas from our manifesto that we want governments to commit to:
  • Central government investment to ensure that foster care does not suffer from cuts to local government budgets
  • Fostering allowances keeping pace with costs, and foster carers paid according to their time, skills and expertise
  • A national register of foster carers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
  • An increased emphasis on fostering and the role of foster carers in social work training, to ensure social workers have a sound understanding of foster care
  • The relationships children and young people make should be supported and protected when a placement ends, for example with previous foster carers
•  Ask them to pledge to support foster care during Foster Care Fortnight.

 Thank you for reading, as ever if you have any questions about our campaigns work please get in touch with the campaigns team on campaigns@fostering.net.