Target for 10,000 new foster care places achievable, but requires retention of current carers

The government’s target of creating 10,000 additional foster care places during the current Parliament appears achievable, but will require greater support for existing foster carers alongside more targeted recruitment, according to new research from the Coram Institute for Children.

The report, Unlocking Fostering Potential: Identifying and Supporting Likely Foster Carers, found that the main challenge facing recruitment is not generating interest in fostering but converting that interest into applications and approved carers.

A YouGov survey of 3,497 adults in England, commissioned by Coram, found that 1.1% said they would definitely apply to become a foster carer at some point in the future. Extrapolated across the eligible population, this suggests more than half a million adults could be willing to apply. When those who said they were very or fairly likely to foster were included, the estimated pool rose to around 3.4 million adults.

The findings come as the Department for Education launches its first nationally coordinated fostering recruitment campaign, encouraging more people to consider whether fostering could fit their lives.

Dame Carol Homden, Coram’s chief executive, said: “We are hugely encouraged by today’s findings, which indicate a substantial pool of people who are open to becoming foster carers, and expressed helping vulnerable children and making a positive contribution to society as their strongest motivations to do so.

“The challenge now is how we build on this impetus, as the number of children and young people in care continues to grow, and we welcome the government’s ambitious plans to recruit more foster carers. As part of this, as our findings show, we need to see a focus on targeting key areas and groups, availability of clear information, and practical support, to boost both recruitment and retention of foster carers.”

Fostering remains the main form of care for looked-after children in England, with around 56,400 children living with foster families at any one time, out of a total looked-after population of 81,770. However, the number of fostering households has declined year on year since 2021, while the workforce is ageing. More than one in three foster carers are now aged 60 or over, compared with one in four five years ago.

Coram’s research suggests that the potential to recruit new carers varies across demographic groups and geographical areas. Women, parents of children under 18, people living in larger households, people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, LGB people, renters and those in lower-income households were among the groups more likely than average to express an intention to foster. Respondents identifying as Black had the highest fostering propensity of any demographic subgroup analysed.

People belonging to faiths other than Christianity and those living in the most deprived areas also showed higher-than-average propensity to foster. The research further found that people who donated to charitable causes involving children were more likely to express a strong interest in fostering than those who gave to other causes.

The report identifies opportunities to focus recruitment on areas with high fostering propensity but relatively low recruitment, including a number of local authorities in London. It also recommends tailoring recruitment messages to groups more likely to consider fostering and providing clearer information about eligibility, financial support, the application process and the support available to carers.

The research’s literature review found that support plays an important role in both recruitment and retention, with the report warning that national awareness campaigns alone will not be sufficient to achieve the government’s target.

Its recommendations include investing in practical, emotional and peer support for foster carers, as well as introducing national reporting on the demographic profile of newly approved carers. Further research is also proposed to explore why some groups demonstrate a particularly high propensity to foster and how that potential can be realised.

The report concludes: “Taken together, the findings suggest that the target of creating 10,000 additional foster care places over the current Parliament appears realistic and attainable if accompanied by a focus on retaining existing carers, and that there are significant challenges to achieving sufficiency on a regional basis. Success will also depend on more than national awareness-raising campaigns alone.”

Homden said: “We look forward to working with the government, local authorities and across the sector to deliver the bold change needed so we can best meet the needs of thousands of children and young people who need loving foster families now and in the future.”

Alongside the report, Coram is launching a new First Steps tool to help people explore the needs of children in foster care and address common misconceptions about fostering, including assumptions that carers cannot be single or live in rented accommodation, or that there is little choice between fostering agencies.