More children are being taken into care with fewer foster carers to look after them, says Barnardo’s as it launches its tenth annual fostering campaign fronted by TOWIE’s Lydia Bright and Debbie Douglas.
The number of children in care in England has risen by 27 per cent in the last ten years, says the UK’s leading children’s charity as it urgently appeals for more people to consider fostering as part of its Barnardo’s Fostering Week 2019, which launched on January 21st.
In the past decade, Barnardo’s foster carers have looked after thousands of children, giving them the best chance to have a happier and positive future. However, the charity is concerned there are not enough suitable foster families to take care of the increasing numbers of vulnerable children in care.
Increasing child poverty, a lack of early intervention and support for families before they reach crisis point, and a heightened awareness of abuse and neglect are among the complex reasons more and more children and young people are being taken into care. But figures from Ofsted show that the number of approved carers has dropped by 950 in just one year. If these trends continue it will become even more difficult to find good foster placements for vulnerable children.
Now, Barnardo’s is celebrating ten years since its first UK fostering campaign and the charity’s foster carers have welcomed vulnerable children into their families more than 8,288 times across the UK.
Find out more about becoming a foster carer or the support Barnardo’s can offer here or call 0800 0277 280.