Government pledges 10,000 new foster care places in England
Summary
The government in England plans to make it easier to become a foster carer and create 10,000 new foster care places for vulnerable children. They will invest £88 million to improve the fostering system because there is a shortage of carers, leading more children to live in homes rather than with families.Key Facts
- England's government aims to add 10,000 new foster care places.
- Rules for becoming a foster carer will be relaxed to encourage more people to join.
- A financial investment of £88 million is planned to support the changes in the fostering system.
- The number of foster carers in England dropped from 63,890 in 2021 to 56,345 in March 2025, marking a 12% decrease.
- Over 81,000 children were in care in 2024-25, with two-thirds removed from families due to abuse or neglect.
- There are fewer places for children with foster families, leading to a 9% increase in children living in homes.
- A report found the cost of residential care for children nearly doubled to £3.1 billion in five years.
- The government approved only 7,000 out of 150,000 people interested in fostering last year due to outdated rules.
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