According to The Fostering Network a new child needs a foster placement every 22 minutes in the UK. The organisation, a leading UK fostering charity, reports that the recent figures underline the growing pressure on fostering services which have been struggling with a shortage of foster carers for some time.
The newly published figures give further credit to the fact that more foster families are needed to meet the growing needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people entering the care system.
In their article, the ‘Fostering Network’ states that last year alone, 24,000 children came into foster care, which represents an increase of 17% compared to 2008. The Fostering Network estimates that an additional 8,750 Foster Families will be needed in 2012.
Jonathan Ewen, Director of family placement at Bernardo’s, was quoted in the Independent newspaper as saying: “The fact that more children are coming into care is almost certainly a good thing because it means social workers are being proactive.” He goes on to make a point that decisions about children need to be made quicker, otherwise they may not receive the care and love they so urgently require.