Foster care is the temporary care of a child by a trained carer in their own home, when the child's birth family is unable to look after them. It is the most common form of care for children in the UK, with around 57,000 children living with foster families at any one time.
Unlike adoption, fostering is not permanent. The aim is usually to provide stability and safety while problems at home are resolved — or, in some cases, to support a child until a permanent home is found.
Why children need foster care
Children come into care for many reasons. The most common include:
- Abuse or neglect — physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
- Family breakdown — parental conflict, domestic violence, or relationship difficulties
- Parental illness — physical or mental health problems, or substance misuse
- Bereavement — the death of a parent or primary carer
- Unaccompanied children — children who arrive in the UK without a parent or guardian
In many cases, it is not the child who has done anything wrong. They simply need a safe, stable environment while their family gets the help they need.
Foster care vs adoption
This is one of the most common points of confusion. Here are the key differences:
- Fostering is temporary — adoption is permanent
- Legal responsibility — foster carers share parental responsibility with the local authority; adoptive parents have full parental responsibility
- Contact with birth family — foster children usually maintain contact with their birth parents; adopted children may not
- Financial support — foster carers receive an allowance; adoptive parents may receive a one-off adoption support fund
- Agency involvement — foster carers work closely with social workers throughout; adoption is more independent after the order is granted
How many children are in foster care?
The numbers are sobering:
- Around 80,000 children are in care across the UK
- Approximately 57,000 of these are in foster care
- 6,500 additional foster families are needed in England alone
- The number of fostering households has fallen to 42,615 — a 10-year low
- Each year, more foster carers leave than join — a net loss of 765 households per year
Over 8,000 new foster carers are needed every year in the UK just to keep pace with demand.
What does a foster carer actually do?
Foster carers provide everything a child needs on a day-to-day basis:
- A safe, warm bedroom
- Meals, clothing, and school supplies
- Emotional support and stability
- Help with homework and school life
- Transport to school, appointments, and contact visits
- Attending meetings with social workers and other professionals
- Keeping daily records of the child's progress and wellbeing
You are not expected to be a therapist or a social worker. You are expected to be a stable, caring adult who provides the structure and warmth that every child needs.
Who provides fostering services?
In England, fostering services are provided by two types of organisation:
- Local authority fostering services — run by your local council (147 in England)
- Independent fostering agencies (IFAs) — private or charitable organisations (318 in England)
Both are regulated and inspected by Ofsted, and both must meet the same national minimum standards. The difference is mainly in structure, support packages, and the fees they pay to carers.
What happens next?
If you're curious about whether foster care could be right for you, the best next steps are:
- Read our guide on who can foster to check basic eligibility
- Understand how much foster carers get paid
- Learn about the fostering process from enquiry to approval
- Explore the different types of fostering available