Between 1 March and 23 April this year, the charity’s fostering services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received 2,349 referrals - 44 per cent higher than the number received in the same period last year.
However, the charity also saw a dramatic decline in people looking to become foster carers - the number of enquiries about fostering fell by 47 per cent compared with the same period last year, from 302 to 161.
Barnardo’s says the coronavirus pandemic has left more families struggling to cope due to job losses, increased financial pressure and negative impacts on the mental health of both adults and children.
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