New figures show no new foster carers in Barnet but Barnet Council disputes the figures report Andrew Dowdeswell, Data Reporter and David Floyd

A child lying down playing with toy animals - zebra, lion and elephant - as Ofsted figures show no new foster carers in Barnet — 8,280 households in England applied to become foster carers in the year to March 2022 – (Credit – Radar)

No households in Barnet applied to become foster carers in the year to March 2022, new figures show – however Barnet Council disputes the figures.

It comes as the number of people applying has steadily fallen over the last five years, including a significant drop last year.

This year, Foster Care Fortnight, which takes place from May 15 to 28, is focused on “Fostering Communities”, and is aiming to highlight the need for more foster carers.

The Fostering Network said society must not “lose sight of the fact we urgently need more foster carers to come forward to care for children locally”.

But the latest Ofsted figures show 8,280 households in England applied to become foster carers in the year to March 2022 – the lowest figure in the last five years, and a drop of 26% from 2020-21.

Barnet Council disputes Ofsted figures

While the figures show no new households applied in Barnet during the period, a spokesperson for Barnet Council told Barnet Post that, based on the council’s internal data: “The Ofsted reporting is incorrect and we will be working with Ofsted to have it changed. In the year to March 2022 in Barnet there were 16 applications, which resulted in five mainstream foster carers and two more that were residential.”

Foster care places are split into two categories, local authority placements, which are organised and managed by the local council, and those delivered by independent fostering agencies, such as charities and organisations that can place children with approved families.

For local authority-managed foster care placements, the number of approved households in the year to March fell by 18% from 2020-21, with just 2,075 approved across England – of these, five were based in Barnet.

Figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Mervyn Erskine, chair of trustees at The Fostering Network, said: “We can’t lose sight of the fact we urgently need more foster carers to come forward to care for children locally.

“When a child comes into care needing a foster home, it is essential they can live with a foster carer who can meet their individual needs, in the area they belong – ultimately, everything they need to be the absolute best version of themselves.”

The figures also show approximately five applications were approved in Barnet in the year to March 2022, though some of these were submitted in previous years.

It means around 85 total households were offering foster care placements at the end of March 2022 – down from 105 in 2018.

Foster carers “key focus for us” says Barnet committee chair

Chair of Barnet Council’s Children, Education and Safeguarding committee, Cllr Pauline Coakley Webb, said: “We are dedicated to ensuring that every child in our care receives a nurturing and loving environment and we’re proud to celebrate the incredible work of our foster carers and the significant impact they make on the lives of children and families within our community.

“Despite the national decline in foster carer approvals, it remains a key focus for us, and so we are actively engaged in an extensive recruitment and marketing campaign because we know that we need more foster carers.

“With these campaigns we aim to raise awareness, dispel myths and inspire potential foster carers, and provide them with the necessary support to make a positive difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people.”

“Getting foster-care matches right is central to ensuring children’s individual needs are met. However, the shortage of foster carers makes good matching far more difficult and, in some cases, can leave children without the care they need.”

The council is running an event – Barnet Fostering Extravaganza – tomorrow for local residents interested in becoming foster carers.

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