The government has pledged to take action to reverse declining foster carer numbers in the UK, according to an end-of-year press release.
In the press release, issued on the 30th of December, the government revealed plans to radically accelerate foster carer recruitment in order to meet the needs of the 39,000 children coming into care in the UK every year.
The Foster Carer Shortage
Last month, we shared our response to the Fostering in England Statistics For 2024-2025. The data from Ofsted showed an overall decline in fostering households, despite an increase in new approvals, suggesting that the numbers of carers coming into fostering aren’t yet enough to offset those leaving. However, on a positive note, the figures also showed the rate of decline is slowing, compared to the data from 2022-2023.
What Is the Government Planning to Do?
In the press release from the Department for Education (DfE), the government committed to ‘tackling the growing shortage of foster carers across England’ (DfE, 2025) and confirmed that a ‘comprehensive package of reforms will be introduced in the new year’ (DfE, 2025) with the aim of boosting foster carer numbers and putting support in place to retain existing carers.
While full details are yet to be released, the focus will be on:
- Expanding who can foster
- Removing barriers to fostering
- Supporting foster carers to foster alongside work and family commitment
- Developing new models of fostering in collaboration with carers and frontline professionals
The hope is that these reforms will encourage more potential foster carers to come forward, and be approved. This will, in turn, increase the number of foster placements available to children who need them, while also supporting existing foster carers to continue caring.
Further details are expected soon, with a consultation planned early this year.
Orr Medical - Helping Fostering Agencies Recruit New Foster Carers
At Orr Medical, we understand the urgent need to address the current foster carer crisis, so that the right homes can be found for vulnerable children who need them.
Becoming a foster carer in the UK involves a multi-stage, rigorous process of assessment, which can oftentimes seem daunting to potential carers. However, when broken down into steps, it can seem more manageable and understandable.
That’s why we pride ourselves on supporting both fostering agencies and applicants as part of our role in the fostering assessment process. We help applicants understand how to best prepare for their fostering assessment, and what to expect from their fostering medical.
Orr Medical offers a comprehensive package of medical support to fostering agencies and local authorities (LAs), including medical advisor services, medical reports, GP medical examinations, and flexible solutions such as temporary medical adviser cover, urgent reports, and attendance at panel.
We take pride in the vital role we play in the recruitment of high-quality foster carers and in helping the fostering recruitment process run smoothly and efficiently.
To find out how we could help your fostering agency, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.