In its 2025 Spring Statement, the UK government pledged support to recruit and train more foster carers.
Let’s take a closer look at what that means for fostering services and foster families in the UK.
What Is the Government Promising?
The government is aiming to transform public services in the UK, and to support this, they’ve created a £3.25 million Transformation Fund.
In the Spring Statement, released earlier this year, the government outlined the priority allocations for the fund, which included ‘£25 million for the fostering system including funding the recruitment of a further 400 new fostering households.’ (HM Treasury, 2025).
How Will it be Achieved?
Labour MP and Minister For Children and Families, Janet Daby provided further details about the government’s plans to recruit and support foster carers.
In response to a question posed by Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon, Daby stated that her department planned to move towards a full national rollout of regional fostering programmes within the next financial year. Currently, there are ten active programmes across England, involving around 64% of local authorities.
She highlighted how this move would better support foster carers and allow for the recruitment of short break carers, who are a vital part of the system, allowing foster families to take breaks from caring when needed.
Daby also alluded to the need to not only recruit but retain carers, and the demand for robust support networks for fostering families. The funds will also enable an expansion of ‘The Mockingbird Family Model’, which sees 6-10 foster families grouped around an experienced carer who provides a ‘hub’ of support.
Daby also spoke of factors that contribute to deregistration (where a foster carer decides to no longer foster, and ‘de-registers’ from the service). These include allegations, issues around delegated authority (who can make day-to-day decisions about a foster child’s care), carer burnout and inadequate financial support.
This focus on retention alongside recruitment is in line with calls from those working in the sector, who highlight the urgent need to stem the flow of experienced carers choosing to step away from fostering.
Response to the Announcement
The Fostering Network welcomed the additional investment in foster care, calling the Spring Statement’s pledge a step in the right direction. However, they expressed concerns that even the creation of 400 new fostering households would not be enough to meet the increasing demand for placements. The Fostering Network estimates that an additional 5,000 fostering households are needed to ensure that for every child who needs one, a suitable foster placement is available. They also echoed the need for retention alongside recruitment, stating that ‘recruitment alone is not enough.’
Other charities also responded to the Spring Statement with concerns. Leading children’s charity Barnado’s expressed dismay about planned Universal Credit freezes and urged the government ‘...to prioritise investment in lifting children out of poverty – an investment in children is an investment in the country’s future.’ (Barnados, 2025).
Given that rising child poverty contributes to an increase in children entering care, it’s vital that the UK government is proactive rather than reactive in its approach.
Orr Medical - Specialists in Fostering Health
With the government pledge to recruit and train more foster carers, the hope is that fostering agencies and local authorities across the UK will be seeing an increase in potential carers coming forward.
All applicants must undergo a rigorous, multi-stage assessment process in order to become approved as foster carers. At Orr Medical we’re proud to support fostering services with this by offering our dedicated medical advisor services. Our services include our GP-led medical assessment service, timely and comprehensive medical reports and panel attendance where appropriate.
To find out more about how we can support your service, get in touch today.