Over 80 foster families will gather at Parliament today (14th May) for the launch of the The Foster Care Practice Guide.
Families will gather alongside policymakers, MPs and children’s sector leaders.
The guide has been produced by Foundations, following a commission from the Department for education, and draws on the most comprehensive evidence review of its kind into what workers for foster families.
Published during Foster Care Fortnight, the guide sets out recommendations for local authorities on how to improve support for foster carers, boost retention rates and secure better outcomes for children in care.
According to government data, in 2024/25, 12% of fostering households in England deregistered. What’s more, around 20% of households leave the system annually.
Jo Casebourne, chief executive of Foundations, said foster care was ‘changing’ as children enter the system with increasingly complex needs, while carers face growing pressure.
She said: ‘Foster care plays an essential role in providing stability, safety and loving relationships for children who cannot live with their birth families.
‘But foster care today is changing; children are entering care with increasingly complex needs, and foster carers are under growing pressure, often with limited access to evidence-based specialist support that makes a real difference.’
‘Our new Practice Guide for local authorities brings together the best available evidence on interventions that we know can strengthen placement stability, contribute to foster carer retention, and, crucially, help the children in their care to thrive,’ she continued. ‘After the local elections, many new administrations will be focused on how best to support children and families in their areas. Access to clear, evidence-based guidance will help them act with confidence.’
Based on feedback from carers, the guide recommends that councils expand support networks, prioritise foster carer wellbeing and ensure they have dedicated time to apply training in practice.
It also highlights the importance of peer support groups, which many carers report as particularly valuable.
The guide is published alongside wider government reforms aimed at addressing pressures in the fostering system, including a recruitment drive to create 10,000 new foster placements by 2029 and a £12m Innovation Fund designed to scale and test support programmes.
Sarah Thomas, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said: ‘This Foster Care Fortnight, we are pleased to welcome the new Practice Guide from Foundations, which we were delighted to sit on the advisory group for.
‘The guide’s focus on evidence-based interventions to help retain foster carers comes at a vital time, as more foster carers continue to leave than join each year.
‘There is no one size fits all approach to fostering, but our research shows that respect for foster carers, support for their wellbeing, therapeutic parenting support, and strong support networks all play a crucial role in retaining foster carers.’
Image: Francis Painchaud/UnSplash
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