Providing high-quality placements for vulnerable children who come into the care of their local authority because of abuse, neglect, relinquishment or an unsafe home setting is a fundamental, statutory duty for councils. These are vulnerable – often traumatised – children and young people with increasingly complex needs who need a caring adult to support them in their journey towards recovery and a positive future.

The vast majority of children in care will be in foster homes, benefitting from the stable, nurturing family setting this provides. However, almost all councils are facing a serious challenge to meet the growing demand for foster homes. There is a national shortfall in suitable fostering placements (estimated at 8,500 additional placements needed in 2019), and the problem is set to worsen. COVID-19 will more than double this shortage over the next 18 months.