Fostering for the future: improving the foster care system

Overview

This call for evidence focuses on areas where we want to gather further information from the sector and those with lived experience about possible future reforms to the fostering system.

 

Why your views matter

We want to take this opportunity to ask about what might need to change in fostering, and how we can spread the best evidence on what works. We want to gather views and strengthen our evidence base on a number of key issues:

  • Financial transparency
  • A foster care register
  • Amending the fostering limit
  • DBS checks and vetting for prospective foster carers
  • Consistency in handling of allegations for those inside and outside of the care system
  • Innovation
  • Removing barriers for kinship care

 

Ready to respond?

Closes 17 Mar 2026

Opened 4 Feb 2026

Audiences

  • Directors of children's services
  • Foster carers
  • Parents
  • Principle social workers
  • Service managers
  • Social workers
  • Team managers
  • Those researching children’s social care or education systems, with links to educational outcomes of Children in Need
  • Young people

Interests

  • Accommodation (Looked after children)
  • Advocacy (Looked after children)
  • Care leavers and former looked-after children
  • Financial support (Looked after children)
  • Fostering
  • Friends and family care
  • Health and wellbeing (Looked after children)
  • Keeping children safe in education and other settings
  • Preventing neglect, abuse and exploitation
  • Programmes and initiatives (Looked after children)
  • Short break care
  • Social care standards and guidance
  • Support in education