How Labour is Renewing Fostering
Foster carers quietly do one of the most important jobs in our community. Every day, they open their homes to children who have experienced loss, trauma or upheaval - offering stability, patience and love when it matters most.
But fostering has been under real strain. The number of foster carers has fallen while the number of children needing care has risen. That can mean children are placed far from home, separated from siblings, or moved too often - not because anyone wants that outcome, but because there simply are not enough foster families available.
The Government’s new Fostering Action Plan is a decisive response. It sets a clear ambition: to create homes for 10,000 more children to grow up in foster care, backed by £88 million. That investment will help recruit new carers - but just as importantly, it will help us keep the brilliant carers we already have.
In practice, the plan focuses on the things carers tell us matter most. First, it will strengthen recruitment and make the journey into fostering easier to navigate, with better information and new digital tools so people are not left waiting months for a response. Second, it will improve regional collaboration through stronger fostering hubs that support carers from first enquiry through approval and into ongoing support.
It also recognises that fostering has to work alongside everyday family life. That is why the strategy includes up to £25 million to help experienced carers adapt or expand their homes creating more space for long‑term placements, including keeping siblings together. And it is why we are cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and moving to an ‘opt‑out’ approach to delegated authority, so foster carers can make everyday decisions more easily - the kinds of decisions that help children feel normal, included and valued.
Support matters too. Fostering can be demanding and isolating. The strategy will strengthen training and peer support, including expanding networks like Mockingbird hubs so carers can rely on trusted relationships and take breaks without disrupting children’s lives. It also sets a clearer expectation of fairness when allegations arise - safeguarding must always come first, but carers should be informed, supported and treated fairly throughout any investigation.
As the Labour MP for Stockport, I see the extraordinary contribution foster carers make in our community. This strategy is about backing them - and giving more children the chance to grow up in a loving family home, close to the people and places that matter.
If you have ever considered fostering, now is the time to find out more:
Fostering in England - Becoming a foster parent in England: Who can foster - GOV.UK
Stockport Council Fostering - https://www.stockport.gov.uk/landing/fostering
Fostering in Greater Manchester - https://fosterforgm.com/