The government has announced plans to create 10,000 new foster care places across England, as concerns grow about the rising number of vulnerable children being placed in residential care due to a lack of foster families.
Ministers say fostering rules will be relaxed and bureaucracy reduced to make it easier for more people to become carers, particularly those who work full time. Clearer guidance will also be introduced to encourage people from a wider range of backgrounds to consider fostering.
The move comes amid what officials describe as a “critical shortage” of foster carers, which has led to increasing numbers of children being placed in children’s homes rather than with families. An additional £88 million has been pledged to help reform the fostering system and improve recruitment and support.
Official figures show the scale of the problem. The number of foster carers in England has fallen sharply in recent years, dropping from nearly 64,000 in 2021 to just over 56,000 by March 2025. In the past year alone, England has lost more than 1,100 foster placements.
Charities warn that the system is under intense pressure. The Fostering Network says many carers are leaving due to a lack of support, financial strain and the emotional toll of an overstretched care system.
At the launch of the plan, public figures Judy and Roxy Wilson spoke about their own fostering experience. Roxy, who was fostered and later adopted by Judy, said stability was vital during childhood after moving between several homes earlier in life. Judy said many people are put off fostering because they believe it will be too difficult, despite the rewards it can bring.
Other foster carers echoed similar experiences, describing fostering as life-changing but acknowledging the challenges around space, finances and uncertainty. One couple shared how their foster daughter, placed with them at the age of four, is now thriving a decade later.
The government says the reforms are designed to make fostering more accessible and sustainable, while ensuring more children grow up in safe, stable family environments rather than institutional care.
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