The Fostering Network has welcomed the publication of today's white paper on children in care, but warns that the exclusion of a national registration scheme, lack of plans to increase payments to foster carers and insufficient funding to implement proposals could leave thousands of children without the quality of care they need.
Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the Fostering Network, said:
"Many of the plans outlined in the white paper could make a real difference to the lives of children in care. In particular, allowing teenagers to stay with their foster carers until they are 21, increased training and support for foster carers, and an emphasis on improving educational outcomes for children in care.
"But the white paper fails to address registration of foster carers, although this was originally in the green paper. The omission of such an important policy is very disappointing. Registering foster carers with an approved national body would drive up standards and ensure that children in care are protected from poor practice and misconduct.
The white paper has also failed to recognise the need to increase pay for foster carers, which could have damaging consequences. Currently 40 per cent of England's foster carers are receiving no income for their work, with a third having to rely on state benefits. There is also a recruitment crisis of foster carers with a shortage of 10,000 in the UK. If levels of pay fail to increase, the additional numbers needed will not be recruited and many existing foster carers may feel they cannot afford to continue to foster.
"Foster carers are increasingly required to undertake fostering as a full-time profession. They are expected to take on a range of duties such as attending court and case meetings, and have to be skilled in many areas such as child development and education. Yet they are all too often treated as volunteers, despite looking after some of society's most vulnerable children.
"The white paper also highlights a serious issue with funding. A 2005 Fostering Network report highlighted that an additional £633 million a year was required in England to transform foster care services and give children in foster care the same opportunities as other children. The Government has allocated £300 million over 4 years - a massive shortfall.
"If the Government is determined to transform the lives of children in care, more funding will be required in order to translate well-meaning words into meaningful action."
More information on the white paper and the Fostering Network's response to the consultation it was based on can be found in our campaigns section.