The independent guide to fostering across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Real reporting, plain-English guides and a directory that shows where every detail came from.
Or start here:How to become a foster carerWhat could fostering pay you?Fostering allowances
Plain-English guides and independent news, with sources shown on every article.
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The directory
Every listing comes from a public record and shows its source and the date we looked. Providers can claim their profile and correct it for free.
Our guides are written and checked against official sources before they go live, with the sources listed on every page.
Payments and allowances
Agencies publish from about £460 to £652 a week per child, most of it tax-free. Pick your situation and see the yearly figure, built from 22 agencies’ own published rates and the official allowances.
Department of Health statistics show 4,287 children were looked after in Northern Ireland at 31 March 2026, the highest since 1995, with 83 per cent living in foster care and more carers leaving than being approved.
The Department for Education has launched a nationally coordinated fostering recruitment campaign from Downing Street, aimed at people in their 30s and 40s, as part of its plan for 10,000 more foster places.
Regional recruitment hubs and care cooperatives will use a share of £12.4m to test weekend fostering, specialist remand placements, parent-and-child fostering and better support during allegations.
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