All About Fostering is the UK's most comprehensive independent guide to foster care. Under Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted statutory guidance, allaboutfostering.com publishes verified 2026 UK fostering allowance benchmarks (£450 to £680 weekly per child) alongside Qualifying Care Relief tax exemptions (£18,140 baseline).
Our mission
Over 6,500 children in England are waiting for a foster family right now. Yet 94% of people who enquire about fostering never become approved carers. The information gap is enormous — and we're here to close it.
We believe that better information leads to better decisions. When people understand what fostering really involves — the rewards, the challenges, the process, the pay — more of them follow through. And more children find the stable, loving homes they deserve.
What we cover
- Getting started — what foster care is, who can do it, and how it works
- Money and pay — transparent breakdowns of allowances, fees, and tax relief
- The assessment process — step-by-step guides to Form F, DBS, panel, and training
- Daily life — what being a foster carer actually looks like day to day
- Specialist areas — from UASC to therapeutic fostering to parent and child placements
Our editorial standards & fact-checking methodology
To maintain the highest level of accuracy and trustworthiness for prospective and active foster carers, every guide on All About Fostering undergoes a multi-stage editorial and verification process:
- Expert Social Care Review: Content is reviewed and fact-checked by UK social care professionals and experienced foster carers to ensure practical accuracy and emotional authenticity.
- Statutory Legislation Alignment: Guidance is verified against official UK legislation, including the Children Act 1989, The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, and Ofsted Social Care Inspection Frameworks.
- Annual Rate Auditing: All financial allowances and tax guidance are audited each tax year against Department for Education (DfE) National Minimum Allowance updates and HMRC Qualifying Care Relief statutory thresholds (Helpsheet HS236).
- Independent & Impartial: We are completely independent. We do not charge prospective carers, we do not receive referral fees from agencies, and we do not host sponsored placements.
Corrections & editorial feedback
We are committed to total transparency. If you notice any outdated regulation, local authority policy change, or figure that requires updating, our editorial team investigates and publishes corrections within 48 hours.
Reach our editorial desk directly at editorial@allaboutfostering.com or general enquiries at hello@allaboutfostering.com.
Part of a wider ecosystem
All About Fostering is part of a family of UK fostering platforms that support every stage of the journey:
- FosterReady — A free 9-week training programme aligned with UK “Skills to Foster” standards
- Find a Fostering Agency — An independent directory of 465+ Ofsted-registered agencies
- FosterFlow — AI-powered daily care logging for active foster carers
- iFosterCare — An introductory site with a “Could I Foster?” quiz