Despite three-quarters of looked-after children living under foster care arrangements, the sector has been largely overlooked by politicians and policymakers in recent years.
While adoption and residential child care have had major reviews and much parliamentary time devoted to them, there has been little focus given to updating foster care policy - current regulations date back to 2011.
Critics point to the Children and Social Work Bill's emphasis on adoption and special guardianship as the route to permanence - and the omission of long-term foster care - as a case in point.
Amid concerns over placement stability, a shortage of foster carers and the role of the independent sector, the government is about to embark on what it is calling a national "stocktake" of fostering with the aim of updating and improving policy and practice.
Latest research shows that of all looked-after children, those in foster care have the highest educational attainment, while innovative practice is being developed to improve carers' skills to help children overcome the trauma of being in care and reduce the risk of placement breakdown.
CYP Now's special report on foster care outlines key factors influencing foster care policy, what the latest evidence shows on the impact of foster care on children and young people and four examples of emerging practice developed by foster care providers.
Research evidence:
STUDY 1
Reunifying abused or neglected children: Decision-making and outcomes
STUDY 2
(In)Sufficient?: ethnicity and foster care in English local authorities
STUDY 3
Reviewing the literature on the breakdown of foster care placements for young people: complexity and the social work task
STUDY 4
A critical review of qualitative research into the experiences of young adults leaving foster care services
Practice examples:
Mockingbird Family Model
Keep Fostering - National Implementation Service
Match Foster Care
Head, Heart, Hands - Aberlour Fostering
