The government has unveiled ambitious plans to transform foster care in England, pledging to create up to 10,000 new foster placements this parliament.
The aim is to ensure thousands more children in the social care system grow up in loving, supportive homes rather than in expensive, often unstable and inappropriate residential settings – some unregulated.
Sadly, the number of approved foster carers in England has fallen by 12% over the past decade. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this decline, while the number of children in care has risen.
Read: Unregistered homes costing £11,800 a week as foster carer shortage continues across Bedford Borough
The shortage has forced local authorities to place children far from home or in residential care, a setting associated with lower educational attainment, health difficulties, and increased risk of exploitation.
For example, care-experienced young people are less than a third as likely to achieve a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and face a 62% higher risk of premature death.
The cost of residential care is also substantial. Councils nationally spent £4.7 billion on residential children’s care in 2022–23, with each place costing over £300,000 annually. By contrast, fostering offers children stability at a fraction of the cost.
Read: Council aims to attract more social workers to prevent families “losing faith in the service”
Rule changes
The government’s plan seeks to modernise the system. Outdated rules that previously limited who could foster are being relaxed to reflect today’s society.
Carers will no longer need to be married, homeowners, or free from full-time employment to provide high-quality care. A new national fostering rulebook will simplify bureaucracy, while £25 million will fund home improvements and innovative models such as part-time fostering.
A total of £88 million will support foster carers and strengthen regional fostering hubs, offering practical guidance, peer support, and clearer financial assistance.
Minister for Children and Families Josh MacAlister described fostering as “vital to our mission to give children the best possible start in life.”
He stressed that the reforms aim to remove barriers, bring the system into the 21st century, and ensure foster carers receive proper support and recognition.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza and fostering bodies like The Fostering Network and CoramBAAF have welcomed the move, noting that stable foster placements can dramatically improve outcomes for vulnerable children.
Significant reset
Yet challenges remain. Recruitment campaigns alone cannot address high turnover, insufficient allowances, or the lure of higher-paying private agencies.
Foster carers often work around the clock, managing trauma, behavioural issues, and educational support, frequently without adequate compensation or job security.
Read: Bedfordshire Councils respond to removal of two-child cap on benefits
Critics argue that unless these systemic pressures are tackled, adding new carers may only partially solve the problem.
Nonetheless, the government’s proposals represent a significant reset for England’s fostering system: simplifying processes, expanding capacity, strengthening support networks, and offering greater financial and practical backing.
If implemented effectively, these reforms could ensure that thousands more children experience the stability, care, and opportunity every child deserves – a chance to grow up in safety, in a family home.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
Mohammad Yasin, Labour MP for Bedford & Kempston.
It is published unedited and does not
reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
