Just over 60 per cent of the 83,175 approved fostering places in England last year were provided by local authority-run services.
The total number of foster care places available last year fell slightly. However, the number provided by local authorities saw a five per cent increase from 49,080 in 2015 to 51,665 in 2016.
According to Ofsted's Fostering in England 2015/16 report this increase is down to an emerging trend in the sector: a growth in the number of "family and friends" placements where children are fostered by someone they already know.
The total number of family and friends households increased to 4,665 as of March 2016 - up 13 per cent on 2015 - with the vast majority approved by local authorities. Only a handful - 20 or so such fostering households - are provided by the independent sector.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
