18 Time for Living , July 2011 Fostering


Call formorefoster carers T


HE UK is heading for acrisis in foster caredue to an impending rise in the short-


age of foster carers. Areport by the Fostering Network shows that two-thirds of the workforce is approaching potential retirement age. The Age of Foster Care, pub- lished by the Fostering Network, found that 65 per cent of foster carers areintheir 50s, 60s or 70s. While thereisrightly no upper age limit on fostering, these figures suggest that ahuge proportion of the workforce might choose to retireover the next 10 to 15 years. Only six per cent areintheir 30s, with virtually nobody fostering while in their 20s. Thereisalready ashortage of 10,000 foster families in the UK. Unless recruitment of new foster carers is stepped up sharply these figures suggest thereislikely to be afar higher deficit of foster carers in the near future, leading to afos- ter caresystem struggling to cope and even moredisruption and instability for children. As aresult, the Fostering Network is encouraging people of all ages to come forwardand con- sider acareer in fostering.


Furthermoreitisurging the gov-


ernment to introduce regulation and funding so that fostering serv- ices arerequired to give all foster carers adequate financial support. This will make fostering aviable career option right across the UK. Robert Tapsfield, chief executive


of the Fostering Network, said:: "It’sextremely worrying that such avery high proportion of the foster careworkforce is potentially so close to retiring. For the sake of the tens of thousands of children who need the support and careof afoster family each year,it’scru- cial morepeople come forward. "In order to avert the impending


crisis, it’simportant that we attract people of all ages. Older people can bring experience and skills from previous jobs, but it’sessen- tial we also appeal to the untapped pool of those in their 20s, 30s and 40s, who arepartic- ularly well placed to offer long- term caretoyounger children. "This report also shows that it is


vital measures areput in place now by national and local govern- ments to ensurethat thereisnot an even moresevereshortage of foster carers in 10 to 15 years time."


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