Read my press release on this announcement here
When I travel around West Cumbria, I’m always struck by the same thing: the strength of our communities, and the quiet commitment of people who step up for others without fuss or fanfare. Foster carers are among them.
Every day, foster families across the country open their homes to children who have already experienced more disruption than any child should. They provide stability, care and a sense of belonging – often at short notice, and often while juggling work, family life and the complexities of the care system. They don’t do it for recognition. But they do deserve our backing.
That’s why I’m proud this week as Children’s Minister to launch the Government’s new Fostering action plan – to renew fostering, support carers properly, and make sure more children can grow up in loving family homes, close to the people and places that matter to them.
This is not a new concern for me. Before I became an MP, I led the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care. I heard again and again that while foster care delivers better outcomes for most children than institutional settings, the system around carers was too often fragmented, bureaucratic and unsupportive. Carers told us they felt trusted with children’s lives, but not trusted with everyday decisions. They spoke about inconsistent support, long delays, and a sense that the system was working around them rather than with them.
Now, as Minister for Children & Families, and with the full backing of this Labour Government, I’m able to put many of the recommendations from my review into action in this action plan.
The new Fostering action plan will expand fostering and strengthen support for carers. It commits to creating homes for 10,000 more children in foster care, backed by £88 million over the next two years. That includes investment to help experienced carers create extra space at home – keeping brothers and sisters together and offering more long-term stability for children who need it.
The plan also focuses on retention, not just recruitment. We’re expanding regional fostering hubs so carers get consistent support from first enquiry through to long-term care. We’re expanding peer support, including the Mockingbird model – which I’ve seen working well firsthand here in West Cumbria, led by foster carers Ian and Alex – so carers are not left isolated. And we’re simplifying the rulebook – cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and giving carers the authority to make everyday decisions that help children feel part of normal family life.
For me, renewing fostering is about something simple but powerful: loving relationships. Stable, loving relationships are what help children recover, grow and thrive. Our job, as a government, is to build a system that makes those relationships possible – and sustainable.
In Cumbria and across England, foster carers are already changing lives. This plan is about making sure the system finally works for them, and for the children who rely on them.
Josh MacAlister MP 