AS OF last year, there were 81,770 children in care. Around two thirds were living in foster homes, supported by 42,190 fostering households. Since 2019, the number of approved mainstream foster carers has fallen by around 12 per cent.

In some parts of the country, it now routinely takes longer to be approved to adopt children than to foster them. In 2024/25 there were almost 150,000 enquiries about fostering but only 7,365 newly approved foster carers, highlighting a ‘leaky pipeline’ where prospective carers drop out during a slow, cumbersome and inconsistent process. Shortages mean more children are placed far from home, separated from siblings, or placed in residential care when a family setting would be more appropriate for them.

The government is stepping in to provide the national leadership that has been missing for over a decade - rewriting the rulebook, rebuilding trust with carers, and focusing relentlessly on children’s needs and the enduring relationships that help them thrive. Foster carers provide love, stability and belonging to hundreds of children across Cornwall every day.

This Labour government is renewing fostering, with comprehensive action to expand the number of foster families, boost support for existing carers and create a new rulebook so the system puts loving relationships first. The Fostering Action Plan sets a clear ambition: grow local authority and third-sector foster places by 10,000 nationally by 2029, backed by £88-million over the next two years alone.

The number of foster carers has fallen dramatically while the number of children needing care has risen - leading to instability, too many placements far from home, and greater reliance on expensive and often unsuitable provision.

As part of his new government strategy, we will recruit and retain more carers, modernise support, and cut bureaucracy so fostering can fit alongside everyday family life. The strategy sits alongside the wider Care Aware campaign – which include the following commitments: 10,000 more local authority and third-sector foster places by 2029, backed by £88-million over the next two years to deliver a step-change in fostering; up to £25-million capital funding to create extensions so more foster families can care for groups of brothers and sisters; improve the recruitment and retention of foster carers by shifting fostering services into specialised regional hubs with stretching targets and backed by £12.8-million of additional investment; a national recruitment campaign and new digital tools to improve the applicant journey for those considering fostering; an innovation programme (at least £12.4-million) to trial and scale new fostering models; boosting support and retention: a higher bar for the training and support available, stronger peer networks; fairer handling of allegations, including expectation of continued financial support during investigations; a new rulebook so carers can make everyday decisions and be fully involved in decisions about the children they are looking after.

Offering children a safe and loving home is the most basic right that our children should expect. This is the kind of change that people voted for in 2024 and which I’m delighted this Labour government will be delivering.