Poor communication, delays or insufficient information from fostering services are putting people off being foster parents, new research reveals.

A new study by the charity The Fostering Network revealed that many potential foster carers are put off by negative experiences during the application process.

It found that 71% of completed foster carer applications are withdrawn by the applicants because of issues such as poor communication.

The Fostering Network also discovered that insufficient remuneration was an important factor in discouraging people from becoming foster parents.

Of foster carers who feel they are not fully financially supported, only 44% would recommend fostering.

Foster carers also reported to the charity that they often experienced a lack of respect for their role and did not always receive consistent support.

Sarah Thomas, chief executive at The Fostering Network, said: ‘At a time when we need more foster carers to join our community and to retain the brilliant foster carers we already have, long-term improvements are required to ensure we address the issues uncovered by this research.

‘As an organisation we will take the lead in translating these findings into practice, creating guidance for services, providing training and the support required to implement sustained change.

‘The retention of foster carers is just as important as recruiting new ones, and everyone in the team around a child must be supported to form a stable, diverse, and knowledgeable workforce.'

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