Foster carer views on the England care review – what was missing?

Overall, 594 foster carers responded to our survey. You identified what you think was missing in the final report. Here is what you said:

The top gaps are:  

• Employment status  
• Recruitment and retention 
• Allowances  
• Fees 
• Social worker recruitment and retention  
• Short breaks/respite  
• Better resourcing of or working with the wider sector 
• Allegations.  

We will discuss the bullet points in more detail below. Please note that recruitment and retention, as well as allegations, will be covered in a separate blog post as there is so much to discuss in regards to those topics. 

Employment Status 

70 per cent of foster carers felt that employment status was an area that was missing in the final care review report. Foster carers in the UK have a unique role within the children’s sector; they are the only members who work with children in their own homes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and welcome them into their own families. Some are paid for the work that they do, others are not. All are supervised, work within a tight regulatory framework and are expected to undertake training and ongoing professional development. And yet they currently have ambiguous employment status. The Fostering Network agrees with the Education Select Committee who said that that the Government needs to review what is the most appropriate employment status for foster carers.  

Allowances 

Our most recent State of the Nation’s Foster Care survey found that over a third of foster carers in England did not feel their allowance levels met the costs of looking after a child. This was in summer 2021 before the cost-of-living crisis really hit. Since then, inflation rates have significantly increased so we know that many more foster carers will be struggling and having to dip into their own pockets to meet the needs of the child or young person in their care. This survey has shown yet again that you are concerned about allowances, with 67 per cent of foster carers saying allowances should have been covered in the report.  

Currently, the national minimum allowances levels set by the Government are based on research that is out of date. To ensure allowances truly cover the full cost of looking after a child, so that children in care have everything they need to thrive, the Government needs to undertake a comprehensive review of the minimum levels of fostering allowances, using up to date evidence. 

Fees 

59 per cent of foster carer respondents felt that pay was not addressed in the review’s final report. Foster carers provide specialist round-the-clock care, ensuring that children are nurtured, supported and safe, yet not all foster carers receive an income from this role to support themselves (otherwise known as a fee payment).

'Foster carers already are the lowest paid of all workers in the UK, the foster carer fee (wage) per child is ….. 81p per hour. Disgraceful.’ - Foster carer 

Social worker recruitment and retention 

Some of the issues foster carers and children are facing (such as lack of stability) are caused or exacerbated by the high turnover of social workers or social worker vacancies. 52 per cent said in our survey that social worker recruitment and retention is an issue the care review did not focus on. Foster carers also called for social workers to treat them with respect and as professionals in our survey.  

'Foster carers should be given more respect within the system. Last month there was a professionals meeting… We were not included as we were told we are not deemed professionals, I asked what qualities we lacked but no one would comment.’ Foster carer 

Short breaks 

Short breaks are vital to support foster carers in their role, and often it is these breaks which help maintain placements when they are particularly demanding. However, one of the key reasons for foster carers leaving the workforce is not receiving enough short break provision. 52 per cent foster carers highlighted this topic as being missing from the final report. 

Better resourcing of or working with the wider sector  

Our State of the Nation’s Foster Care 2021 survey found that for a growing number of children in care, the state is failing in its responsibility to  meet the health, education and cultural needs of children in foster care across the UK. In our survey 51 per cent of foster carers said that better resourcing of and working with the wider sector was missed out the in the report.  

Foster carers cannot plug the gaps left by the state. Our Unmet Needs Report contains recommendations about access to wider services for children in foster care which we have shared with the department for education and will continue to call for. 

You can find the first blog from our care review series, covering what foster carers think about the recommendations, here.