Latest research by The Fostering Network reveals that the vast majority of both local authority and independent foster care providers have a shortage of foster carers to meet demand in their local area.
The organisation’s State of the Nations 2021 report states that “little has changed over the last four years” to improve sufficiency of foster care placements across the UK.
Research carried out by the Network in 2017 estimated that 8,600 foster carers would need to be recruited in 2021 to meet demand, but latest Ofsted figures show there were 6,800 completed applications and 2,165 approvals in 2020/21.
With Ofsted recently warning that the foster care system is at “breaking point”, some councils have taken to offering welcome payments – sometimes referred to as “golden hellos” – upwards of £1,000 to attract new carers.
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