Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Departmental fostering recruitment hubs show limited immediate impact on increasing foster carer numbers.
Conclusion
The Department has initiatives to increase foster carer numbers. It described, for example, launching 10 fostering recruitment hubs by 2024, covering around two thirds of local authorities.50 It explained that these hubs are boosting co-ordinated recruitment of foster carers between local authorities, and offering greater support for those becoming foster carers.51 The Department’s early impact evaluation of the first hub did not find any significant difference between the number of foster households approved in areas supported by the hub and those not. It noted, however, that more time might be needed to see results.52 The Department told us that it is seeing numbers of new foster carers increase each month.53
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 1 April 2026. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗