The Budget has already shown a flicker of light - now it must shine on the 12,500 foster carers we still need

Yet behind those headlines lies a quieter challenge that speaks to the heart of who we are as a society: the growing shortfall of foster carers.

According to FOI data from the National Fostering Group, the UK still needs around 12,500 more carers to meet demand - and every unfilled role means a child waiting longer for the stability they deserve.

Fostering is one of the most meaningful roles in Britain, yet it too often goes unseen. Our research shows that 14.5 million UK adults - more than a quarter of the working-age population - say they want to do something more worthwhile with their careers.

Fostering consistently ranks among the UK’s top five most purposeful professions, but too many people simply don’t realise they could do it themselves.

Recent Budgets have already acknowledged the issue, committing £44 million to regional recruitment hubs and a further £25 million for 2026–28 to strengthen support for carers.

These are welcome foundations. But recognition alone isn’t enough - the next Budget must build on this momentum with continued, long-term investment to help more people step forward to foster and to ensure those who already do feel fully valued and supported.

While campaigns have rightly focused on empty nesters, fostering can be a calling for anyone with empathy, patience and a safe space to offer.

At National Fostering Group, we see people from every walk of life answer that call - mid-career professionals, single people, same-sex couples, younger families and retirees alike. What unites them is not circumstance but compassion.

Supporting those who foster strengthens every part of society. Stable, loving homes don’t just change children’s daily lives - they improve long-term outcomes in education, wellbeing and opportunity, giving young people the foundations they need to thrive.

In turn, this reduces pressure on health, education and social-care systems. Investing in carers’ training and professional development ensures they have the confidence, skills and resilience to provide the best possible care.

As the Budget approaches, there’s a clear opportunity to keep that light shining - by continuing to widen recruitment, enhancing financial and professional support for carers, and recognising them alongside teachers and nurses as essential to national wellbeing.

The Government can address the shortfall and send a powerful message: that fostering is a national priority and those who open their homes to children will be backed every step of the way.

Fostering changes lives - not just for children, but for everyone involved. The investments made so far are a welcome start; now is the moment to go further.

This Budget should reaffirm that the country’s commitment to children in care burns brighter than ever.

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Tim Barclay is the CEO of National Fostering Group

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