England Invests £12.4M to Reimagine Foster Care

For Chanice, having someone who kept showing up changed everything. Not a parent, but a caring adult who took her to the theatre on weekends, taught her new things, and believed in her potential for over 12 years.

That kind of relationship is becoming more possible across England thanks to a £12.4 million government fund designed to modernize foster care. The Fostering Innovation Fund aims to create 10,000 new foster placements by making the system work for more types of people and families.

The timing matters. England had 42,190 approved fostering households at the end of March 2025, down from a 2021 peak. Too many children can't find the right match at the right time, and caring adults who want to help often feel shut out by rigid requirements.

The problem isn't that people care less. The old system simply made it too hard for the right people to step forward.

Traditional fostering has long assumed a narrow picture: a couple with a spare room and at least one adult available for full-time care. That works for many families, but it leaves out plenty of others who could make a real difference in a child's life.

Why This Inspires

The new models being tested show how small changes can open big doors. Weekenders, developed by NOW Foster, lets people build meaningful relationships through regular weekend visits when full-time care isn't possible.

Sara Fernandez started as a Weekender when she was 26 and couldn't commit to full-time fostering. She met Chanice through the program, and their relationship grew through ordinary moments: swimming, bike rides, theatre trips, and long conversations over home-cooked meals.

"It's more like an auntie, uncle or godparent," Fernandez explains. She's now NOW Foster's chief executive, and her bond with Chanice has lasted over 12 years.

Other innovations tackle different barriers. Room Makers provides grants to help foster families adapt their homes so they can welcome more children or keep siblings together. One Greater Manchester carer received £7,800 to reconfigure her space and will soon care for siblings who might otherwise be separated.

The Mockingbird model creates networks of foster families around a central hub home. Instead of managing alone, carers get practical support and friendship from people who truly understand the challenges they face.

These flexible approaches aren't replacing traditional foster care. They're strengthening it by giving children more trusted adults and giving potential carers a way to start small, gain confidence, and possibly take on more later.

The innovation fund represents something bigger than new programs: it's recognition that caring for children doesn't fit just one template, and that showing up consistently matters as much as having the perfect circumstances.