Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the number of foster carers (a) nationally and (b) in areas where there is a shortage of foster carers.

Local authorities have a duty to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation within their area that meet the needs of their looked after children in their area.

The department recognises the urgency of action in placement sufficiency, and we will prioritise working with local authorities to recruit more foster carers. This will include pathfinder local recruitment campaigns that build towards a national programme, to help ensure children have access to the right placements at the right time. As the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care recommends, the department will focus on providing more support throughout the application process to improve the conversion rate from expressions of interest to approved foster carers.

The department has already invested in Fosterline Plus, which offers one-to-one support for prospective foster families.