New Ofsted data shows number of foster carers in England declining for third year running

New figures show the number of people choosing to foster in England is declining for the third year running, with six per cent fewer fostering households compared to 2021.

The 2024 Fostering in England data, published by Ofsted, lays bare the challenges facing foster care. The UK’s leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network, is now calling on the government to take urgent action and introduce a new fostering strategy to ensure all children can receive the best care for their needs.

The figures show there were 42,615 fostering households in England, compared to 45,370 in 2021. A total of 4,055 fostering households were approved during the year while 4,820 stopped fostering – an overall loss of 765 fostering households. Foster carers are leaving for three main reasons – inadequate financial remuneration, lack of support from their fostering service, and lack of respect for their role.

The Fostering Network has estimated that a further 6,500 fostering families are needed in England to ensure all fostered children can live with the right family for them.

With growing numbers of children coming into care and more foster carers leaving, this means sibling groups are more likely to be split up, children are placed far away from their local communities and there aren’t enough specialist foster carers to care for children with additional needs.

The charity welcomes the recent £44 million announced in the budget for kinship and fostering but it is unclear how much is being spent on fostering and if this will address the current challenges.

Sarah Thomas, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said: “The Ofsted data once again shows the immense pressure that foster care is under and we know this will be having a detrimental impact on children and families. The fewer foster carers we have, the more children who may end up in residential care or in homes away from their families and friends.

“Action needs to be taken to make fostering more sustainable – we urgently need a UK-wide fostering strategy that addresses the retention of foster carers as much as recruitment. We are also calling for a national recruitment campaign that is underpinned by a more personal and child centered approach when a foster carer picks up the phone to enquire about fostering.

“These annual losses will continue unless urgent action on a much greater scale is taken.”