Labour to Create 10,000 New Foster Care Places to Give Vulnerable Children a Better Start in Life
Labour has set out ambitious new plans to transform the foster care system in England, ensuring thousands more children in care grow up in loving, stable and supportive homes.
Under the plans, up to 10,000 new foster care places will be created over this Parliament, reversing a worrying decline in foster carers that has seen numbers fall by almost 12% over the past decade. A major national recruitment drive will open fostering up to a wider range of people, removing outdated rules that have acted as unnecessary barriers.
Crucially, Labour will modernise the system by making clear that foster carers do not need to be married, own their home, or give up full-time work to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children.
The reforms are backed by £88 million of targeted funding, repurposed from existing budgets, to strengthen frontline services and improve support for both new and existing foster carers. This includes help with home improvements, clearer information about the support available, and access to peer advice through new regional fostering hubs.
Labour’s plans are part of a wider overhaul of the care system, driven by a simple principle: every child, no matter their background, deserves the best possible start in life.
