The government’s new £12.4m Fostering Innovation Fund is a push to try and modernise how foster care works in England, and make it feel more flexible for today’s families.
The idea behind it is simple
The system is struggling to recruit and keep enough foster carers, so the Department for Education wants to test new approaches rather than relying on the traditional model of one full-time carer in a household. The money is being given to local authorities fostering hubs and regional partnerships so they can trial ideas, like more flexible placements and better support for carers.
A focus is widening who can foster
That means moving away from outdated assumptions about who fits the role, and opening it up to more single people and younger carers who might not be able to commit in the traditional way. Supporters of the fund say it could help improve stability for children, especially if it means fewer placement shortages. Recent coverage highlights how the fund is designed to encourage innovation while addressing ongoing shortages in foster placements.
Critics, though, often point out that £12.4m is small in the context of children’s services, so it will fund pilots rather than strategic reform. In Wales, conversations around fostering reform are also relevant, especially for foster care Bridgend, where authorities are constantly trying to recruit carers. You can get more information on fostering at sites like saferfostering.org.uk/foster-care-wales/bridgend.
Bringing fostering into the 21st century
Ministers have described it as bringing fostering into the 21st century, and it links to plans to increase placements across the country.
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