Fostering News: Response to the Prime Minister's announcement regarding changes to the care system

Responding to the Prime Minister's announcement regarding changes to the children's care system, Jackie Sanders, director of public affairs at The Fostering Network, said: 'We are delighted that the Prime Minister has recognised the amazing job that foster carers do. However, on the eve of Foster Care Fortnight, we are again disappointed that this Government’s rhetoric refuses to acknowledge the fact that for the vast majority of children in care foster families provide loving, stable and secure homes where children flourish.
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'Adoption may be the best route to permanence for some children, and we have no doubts that post-adoption support should be improved. However it will always be a small minority of children in the care system who require adoption, with the vast majority living with foster families for as long as they need to. The Prime Minister talks about ‘busting a gut’ to give children every chance of a positive future, yet he is only focused on a minority of children in care. Foster care can, and does, provide the sort of loving, stable and secure, homes the Prime Minister appears to believe is only possible through adoption.

'Fostering needs the same passion, support and investment from the Government as adoption. This Foster Care Fortnight is the ideal time to shine a spotlight on the amazing work that foster carers do to offer tens of thousands of children homes, families and positive futures each year.
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'The promise of the first Care Leavers Covenant is welcome news, and we look forward to seeing the content of the Queen’s speech where we hope there is a positive message for all children who are in our care system.'

Source:
​https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk

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