270 fostering households across London deregistered in the year to March, compared to 300 the previous year reports Clara Margotin, Data Reporter

Two silhouetted children in the air on swings — Across England some 4,690 mainstream fostering households left foster care in the 12 months to March – (Credit – Radar)

Hundreds of households left London’s fostering services last year, official figures show.

Meanwhile the total number of households who stopped fostering across England continued to exceed that of those starting, despite the net difference reducing slightly.

The Fostering Network said the retention of foster carers “must be the government’s priority”, warning “more children will be pushed into residential care or placed far from the families and friends they depend on” if nothing is done.

Recent Ofsted data shows about 270 mainstream fostering households approved by councils across London deregistered in the year to March, meaning they ceased fostering, retired or registered with an independent fostering agency instead – a fall from 300 deregistrations the previous year.

All figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Mainstream fostering households include all foster homes except those with a primary placement offer of formal kinship care arrangement – when a family member steps in to temporarily care for a child in need, supported by the local authority.

Meanwhile just 240 households were newly approved for foster care by councils across London, up from 190 in 2023-24.

Across England some 4,690 mainstream fostering households left foster care in the 12 months to March, including 2,540 signed up through their local authority.

It was slightly down from 4,820 and 2,645 respectively the year before, but means there remains more households leaving than entering foster care nationwide.

Sarah Thomas, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said the statistics show “retention must be the government’s priority”.

She added: “There is a suite of well-researched options available that could transform the sector and significantly improve the retention of fostering families.

“Introducing new standards for foster care – including improved remuneration, consistent 24-hour support, and a national register for foster carers – would go a long way toward addressing the deep and long-standing issues impacting retention.

“Without swift action to make foster care sustainable, more children will be pushed into residential care or placed far from the families and friends they depend on.”

The Ofsted figures show some 4,115 households across England were approved for mainstream foster care by their local authority or an independent fostering agency in the year to March, up 9% from 3,785 the previous year and the first yearly increase since 2018-19.

But it means there were 33,435 such fostering households nationwide at the end of March, marking a 1% drop on the previous year and a 10% fall since 2020-21.

This included 2,425 households in London, a slight decrease from 2,430 a year earlier and from 3,365 in 2020-21.

In October, the government said it was “determined to address the falling numbers of foster carers” by working closely with local authorities and prioritising foster care recruitment and retention.

Children and Families Minister Josh MacAlister said: “Foster carers provide more than just a roof over a child’s head – they offer belonging, consistency and the chance for young people to grow up close to their schools, friends and the places they know.”

He said the government “inherited a burning platform on this issue with the number of foster carers in decline” and is committed “to grip this issue and deliver for the vulnerable children waiting for a foster care placement”.

“We will soon publish a detailed plan to improve and expand fostering which will map out how we reverse the decline that is seeing far too many children forced to live far from home in care homes, instead of a loving family environment,” he added.

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