As part of a renewed focus on recruiting more foster carers across the country, the Department for Education is set to launch a new campaign this month.


The campaign will focus on the everyday moments foster carers share with the children in their care, highlighting that fostering can become a part of your life without changing it.

It comes as the Fostering Network highlights the need for more than 900 more foster families across the North East and Yorkshire and the East Midlands in 2026.

Sharing your life with a foster child can be incredibly rewarding, introducing them to a feeling of safety and experiences that they might not have had before. Whilst embracing the things that are important to them alongside.

When you become a foster carer with Team Fostering, we understand how important certain things in your life are to you. From keeping your own family members forefront of any matching considerations, to involving your own children in our activities and events – everyone becomes part of a wider family that’s there for you every step of the way.

You can read the stories of some of our foster carers here and meet our team to hear from the people who help make this happen.

​Click here to read the full article. 

The Department for Education (DfE) is launching its first fully co-ordinated fostering recruitment campaign in October 2026, aimed at encouraging more people to consider fostering.

The heart of the campaign is not only the dispelling of myths and misconceptions around who can foster, but also about reframing fostering as an extension of who people already are, rather than asking them to become a different kind of person. Therefore, the campaign will highlight more of the everyday differences that people can make to children’s lives, over and above any perceived complex expectations or specialist skillsets that may feel out of reach.

The campaign has arrived at a time of decreased numbers of approved foster carers in the UK. According to the DfE, the number of foster carers has fallen by 12% since 2019, with research showing that misconceptions is a driving factor in people ruling themselves out before even exploring fostering.

​TACT are passionate about dispelling fostering myths and misconceptions; the charity ran a campaign in September of 2025 called ‘Ordinary People Making an Extraordinary Difference’, which highlighted the everyday smaller gestures of care that can make a positive impact on young people. Another key message of the campaign was that fostering should be an option for people across all walks of life, and not just those with care-aligned vocational backgrounds.

Click here to read the full article.

As Administrator, you will provide closely administrative support and assistance to the Fostering Team and to establish and maintain effective links and professional relationships with colleagues including Supervising Social Workers, Support Workers, Foster Carers, Panel Members and other agency services.

Responsibilities will include:

• Maintaining and updating information systems, both manual and computerised
• Completing statutory checks
• Processing payments and invoices
• Coordinating training activities.
• Applicants should have:
• Significant experience in a secretarial or admin role.
• Strong literacy and numeracy skills and attention to details.
• Commit to delivering excellent customer service
• An ability to develop sound professional relationships
• Be flexible, reliable and a good communicator.

Please click here for full job details.

In this permanent Senior Finance role with Action for Children, you will provide strategic leadership, management and expert insight to the financial accounting functions to enable the delivery of best in class in statutory reporting, maximising cashflow and return on investments. 

You will also utilise expertise to provide trusted advice and counsel to the Chief Finance Officer, and to retain a key role in ensuring appropriate policies, standards and practices are adopted across the organisation.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

• Provide line management and lead by example to a professional and technical group of staff.
• Responsible for accurate recording, updating, and reporting of all the financial information using our core accounting system. 
• Work with the Chief Finance Officer to develop the long-term investment and financing strategy and be responsible for their implementation. 
• Ensure the provision of expert advice on matters of tax, treasury, statutory reporting compliance requisitions, and pensions to management.
• Work with the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) to obtain the best return for cash reserves, investment portfolio and to strategically manage both short term and long-term cashflow.
• Lead the development, implementation and improvement of corporate Finance policies and procedures.
• Ensure controls, processes and systems are in place and documented, to provide timely, accurate financial accounts and statutory reporting.
• Manage the preparation of the annual statutory accounts and prepare the financial statements for publication in the annual report. 
• Work collaboratively with external auditors and other external advisors to deliver a smooth year end close.

Please click here for full job details.

Foster Carers make a difference to the lives of vulnerable children and support them at the time they need it most. To provide a stable and secure home for the children in their care, Foster Carers need their own support networks. As well as support from Fair Ways, this support can start with their employers becoming Fostering Friendly Employers.

Why do employers need to join the Fostering Friendly Initiative?
The aim of the Fair Ways Employer Initiative is to make a difference to the lives of Foster Carers and the thousands of children in need of fostering.

We have found that there has been a lack of support from employers for people who are, or who are looking at being Foster Carers, and therefore it is no surprise that there is a national shortage of Foster Carers. Becoming a Fostering Friendly Employer put a marker in the sand. It shows your employees that you will support them if they wish to become a Foster Carer, with Fostering Friendly policies and flexibility to undertake both roles simultaneously.

Depending on circumstances, many foster carers still work during fostering. Currently, 40% juggle both jobs, and therefore, to put in the time and dedication it takes to being a Foster Carer, they need their employers commitment and unwavering support. This can include introducing a fostering friendly HR policy or offering flexible working arrangements.

Please click here to read the full article.

About the Role
The role is responsible for the successful recruitment of new St. Christopher’s foster carers, proactively building excellent relationships with potential fostering applicants & guiding them through the assessment & approval process. The role will proactively lead on the recruitment strategy for a given region but the postholder may have to work across other regions as required by workflows. The postholder will deliver an increased number of fostering households through a targeted approach, enabling the recruitment and assessment of foster carers who can meet the needs of St. Christopher’s looked after children.

Applicants should have:

• BA or Master’s in social work or Dip SW, CSS, CQSW.
• Social Work England/Scottish Social Services Council/Social Care Wales Registration.
• Post qualifying experience which should include at least 2 years in relevant family placement work or post qualifying experience in other childcare settings.
• A proven track record in working with and on behalf of children and foster families, using a trauma-informed therapeutic approach.
• Experience of group work and/or delivery of training.
• Assessment of Foster Carers, using BAAF Competency Based Form F.
• Knowledge or relevant experience of recruitment and campaign/project delivery for foster carers.
• Knowledge of prospective carer assessment and the journey of a prospective foster carer.
• A good working knowledge of relevant legislation including Children’s Act 1989 and related regulations and guidance such as Every Child Matters, Working Together; Assessment Framework For Children In Need; Care Standards Act 2000; Understanding of the role of children’s social workers; knowledge of the role of other agencies in particular, health and education; knowledge of the growth and development of children.
• Experience of working with the public and engaging a wide range of community group and organisations.

Please click here for full details.

Could you help steer and govern a leading, high profile and dynamic East Anglian charity to new heights?

Are you committed to improving young lives?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity to join our organisation as a Trustee (voluntary position).

We are particularly seeking to recruit to the Board applicants with experience in children’s social care or expertise in strategic People and Culture leadership – from Human Resources or Organisational Development background.

What we are looking for:
We are seeking to recruit trustees with different areas of expertise who are committed to helping us to deliver our vision and mission.

For this trustee role we would particularly love to hear from you if you are wanting to bring your extensive experience working at a senior leadership and / or executive leadership level in the People, HR, Culture and / or Organisation Development space. It would also be an advantage if you have supported complex organisations through significant periods of change and navigated ambitious strategies.

We are particularly interested in hearing from applicants with expertise in one of the following areas:

• Strategic leadership in children’s social care services
• HR professional experience
• People, including young adults, who were in the care system themselves or who have lived experience of the care system
• This is an opportunity to join an experienced and dedicated Trustee Board, working alongside a professional and skilled Senior Management Team that lead an agile and highly qualified workforce, to give the very best care to each young person in our services.

About the Role
As a Break trustee, you will play a vital role in providing strategic leadership, oversight, and support to the organisation. You will help ensure we continue to deliver on our vision and mission while maintaining strong governance and sustainable growth.

Please click here for more details about the role.

A famous author has inspired a group of TACT young people, in a workshop aimed at encouraging a passion for reading.

Andy Stanton, the celebrated author of the Mr Gum book series, led an online workshop organised by TACT Fostering – in line with their extensive year-long National Year of Reading campaign activities.

He took the participants through his own creative processes, including the time he wrote a story for his nephews on Christmas Eve (which they ignored as it was Christmas), only to find the story again years later ‘in a box’. That story became the first Mr Gum book.

No stranger to working with children, Andy said: “I’ve been talking to children in schools and at book festivals for twenty years now. I haven’t done any events or workshops for children in care before. Whomever I’m talking to I always strive to make my events inclusive and welcoming for all. 

Please click here to read the full article.

We are proud to introduce Michael Carr as a Patron of The Foster Care Charity.

Michael’s journey is powerful, honest, and inspiring. He brings not only professional success, but lived experience of growing up in foster care. That makes his voice truly important to the work we do.

Today, Michael is a professional chef and business owner. But his story began in a very different place.

From Fostered Child to Pro Chef
“As soon as I started, I just wanted to work and become a chef.”

​Michael spent much of his childhood in and out of care. Life was not always stable. There were times when things were difficult and uncertain.

“I didn’t really have structure growing up. Sometimes life was just about getting through the day.”

Everything changed when he found a home with his foster carers.

“They became like my mum and dad. They gave me support, structure, and somewhere that felt like home.”

That stability made a lasting difference.

​Please click here for the full article.

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

About the Role
The role is responsible for the successful recruitment of new St. Christopher’s foster carers, proactively building excellent relationships with potential fostering applicants & guiding them through the assessment & approval process. The role will proactively lead on the recruitment strategy for a given region but the postholder may have to work across other regions as required by workflows. The postholder will deliver an increased number of fostering households through a targeted approach, enabling the recruitment and assessment of foster carers who can meet the needs of St. Christopher’s looked after children.

Please click here to read the full article.