The UK is grappling with a critical shortage of foster carers as the number of children entering care homes continues to rise, according to Barnardo’s children’s charity.
The organisation has called on the government to launch a national campaign to address the issue, which is being exacerbated by an ageing foster carer population and a lack of younger recruits.
Pandemic and Cost-of-Living Crisis Drive Foster Carer Shortage
The decline in foster carers has been linked to several factors, including the aftermath of the pandemic, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and changes in family dynamics, such as adult children staying at home longer and spare rooms being repurposed as home offices.
Exclusive polling conducted for Barnardo’s reveals that while 73% of UK adults are concerned about the shortage of foster carers, only 7% of non-foster carers would consider fostering within the next decade.
Among over-55s, 82% believe they are “too old” to foster, despite this being the average age of Barnardo’s carers.
Meanwhile, over a third (34%) of 25-44-year-olds cited having or wanting biological children as a reason not to foster.
Other barriers included financial concerns (15%) and unsuitable accommodation (19%).
Children Left in Unstable Environments
Brenda Farrell, Barnardo’s Director of Fostering and Adoption, warned of the dire consequences of the crisis:
“Thousands of children in care are waiting for safe, happy homes. Without enough foster carers, these children risk being placed in environments that don’t meet their needs, leaving them in a constant state of upheaval.”
Farrell urged the government to address the root causes driving record numbers of children into care by investing in early intervention programmes to support families and prevent crises.
A Call for Targeted Recruitment
Professor Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor from Coventry University highlighted a particularly acute shortage of foster carers within religious, cultural, and ethnic minority communities.
She called for targeted recruitment campaigns, noting that children often fare better in families that reflect their own identities. She also stressed the disproportionate placement of Black, Brown, and Muslim heritage children in institutions.
Statistics Highlight the Scale of the Crisis
Out of nearly 12 million children in England, just over 400,000 (3%) are in the social care system.
Since 2014, the number of children’s homes has surged by 70%, from 2,057 to 3,491.
Family and friend foster carers now account for 19% of fostering households, up from 16% in 2019.
Mainstream fostering households have declined by 7% since 2019, with applications down 18% compared to 2018.
Denise Monks of the British Association for Social Workers warned that the reliance on profit-driven residential placements adds pressure on social workers, who face dwindling resources to support children and families.
Government Response
A spokesperson for the Department for Education stated: “We are investing £15m to boost foster carer numbers next year, creating hundreds of new placements to provide children with stable environments.”
The government plans to refocus the children’s social care system to prioritise earlier intervention and stability, placing foster carers at the heart of the strategy.
With a child entering the care system every 15 minutes, charities and experts stress the urgency of recruiting more foster carers to ensure vulnerable children can find the safe and stable homes they deserve.
