The number of available homes for foster children in England has fallen by almost a quarter in four years, according to the latest Ofsted figures.
At the end of March 2022, there were 43,905 fostering households in total in England. Of these, 36,050 offered mainstream fostering provision and 7,855 were family and friends households.
Since 2018, the number of approved mainstream fostering households has decreased by 4% and the number of approved mainstream fostering places has decreased by 5%, according to Ofsted.
During the same period, the number of filled mainstream fostering places has remained static and the number of vacant mainstream fostering places has decreased by 23%.
Yvette Stanley, Ofsted director for social care and regulation, said: ‘Today’s statistics are alarming; the number of children coming into care is rising, yet the number of foster carers has fallen to its lowest point in years. This is undoubtedly adding pressure to an already stretched system.
‘We know the importance of getting foster matches right so that children’s individual needs can be met and foster carers remain in the system. However, the decreasing number of foster carers is limiting options for children and, in the worst cases, leaving them without the care they need.’
