A national fostering strategy is to be developed in Scotland. Last week education and young people's minister Peter Peacock asked officials at the Scottish Executive to start developing a strategy.
He said: "We will soon seek more powers from (the Scottish) Parliamentto give ministers the ability to support fostering moreeffectively."
Campaigners welcomed the news. Bryan Ritchie, the director of theFostering Network Scotland, said: "Scotland is the only country in theUK not to impose a limit of three fostered children with each fosterfamily at any one time. As a result, carers are all too often asked tolook after five or more children, putting extreme pressure on fosterfamilies."
The Fostering Network says there is a shortage of at least 1,700 fosterfamilies in Scotland. Councils across Scotland will also get 12mfor additional support for fostering in 2006/07.
