Josh MacAlister, Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington and Minister for Children and Families, has today set out how the Government’s new Fostering Action Plan will strengthen support for foster carers and help more children grow up in stable, loving family homes in Cumbria and across the country.
Read my column for this week’s Whitehaven News and Times & Star
Fostering is the bedrock of the care system, with around two-thirds of children in care living with foster families. But the number of foster carers has fallen in recent years while the number of children needing care has continued to rise, putting pressure on local services and leading to instability for children.
The Government’s Fostering Action Plan will end this decline and create foster homes for 10,000 more children. This is backed by £88 million over the next two years, alongside reforms to recruitment, retention and support for carers.
In Cumbria, where foster carers already play a vital role in supporting children who cannot live with their birth families, the plan will help ensure more children can stay close to home, experience fewer moves, and grow up with the stability that family life provides.
Josh MacAlister said:
“Foster carers make a really important contribution in our society. They provide children with safety, stability and a sense of belonging at moments of real vulnerability.
“When I led the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, foster carers were clear about what needed to change: better support, less bureaucracy, and a system that treats them as trusted partners.
“This Fostering Action Plan will deliver that change – renewing fostering so more children can grow up in loving family homes, and making sure carers have the backing they deserve.”
Read my interview with The Guardian
Cllr Emma Williamson, Deputy Leader of Cumberland Council and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Family Wellbeing and Housing, said:
“Foster carers across Cumberland play an extraordinary role supporting children and young people, often in very challenging circumstances. We know that when children can grow up in stable, loving family homes close to their communities, outcomes are better.
“This plan gives councils the backing we need – with clearer national direction, investment, and a focus on retaining and supporting foster carers. Working in partnership with government, we’re committed to strengthening fostering locally and making sure carers feel valued, supported and trusted.”
The plan includes:
- A national fostering recruitment and awareness campaign
- Up to £25 million to help experienced carers adapt or expand their homes, increasing capacity and helping keep siblings together
- £12.8 million to expand Regional Fostering Hubs into an end-to-end model, supporting carers from first enquiry through approval and into ongoing support
- A national fostering innovation programme to develop and scale new models of care
- Stronger training and support for carers, including another 100 Mockingbird peer-support groups
- Fairer and more transparent handling of allegations, with clearer expectations of support for carers during investigations
- A simpler rulebook and an “opt-out” approach to delegated authority, allowing carers to make everyday decisions for the children in their care more easily
The plan has been backed by Traitors star and social worker Judy and her adopted daughter Roxy. Read their interview with the Times here
Anyone interested in fostering in Cumbria can find out more via Cumbria Fostering: 03000 190 200 / hello@fosterwithus.org.uk / cumbriafostering.org.uk.
Josh MacAlister MP 