Whatever their start, be here for their future.
We are currently experiencing a fostering crisis as the need for foster carers continues to increase due to higher number of children entering care in the UK.
Between August 2021 and July 2022, the total number of children referred to Barnardo’s services in the UK for foster care shot up from 15,642 children to 19,996 – an increase of 28% compared to same time in 2020/2021.
There has also been a significant increase in children aged 11 and older referred to Barnardo’s England, Wales and Scotland fostering services with a rise of 29 per cent from the period of August 2021 to July 2022, compared to the same period in the previous year. In England the rise in referrals for older children needing fostering was 29 per cent, in Wales 26 per cent and in Scotland 34 per cent.
Because of this, more foster carers than ever are needed to ensure we can offer these children - and in particular, older children - the best family environment for them. We will give you the training and support you need every step of your fostering journey.
Could fostering be something for you? Get in touch to speak with our friendly team.
How do I find out more about fostering?
When you foster with Barnardo’s, you also get financial support, including a carer’s allowance to help you as you make a positive difference to a child’s life.
We know that getting in touch to make an enquiry can seem daunting, but there’s nothing to worry about. At this stage, you are not making any commitments. A member of our team will call you back to talk you through the fostering process, answer any questions you may have and ask you a few questions about yourself and your motivation to foster.
We provide the right training and support to give you the skills to welcome a young person into your loving family and support them to achieve their dreams. We also have a wealth of online and offline resources to support you every step of the way.
Check out the blog our team has put together to address some of the myths around fostering teenagers.
Fostering an older child or teenager
Do you think you can foster older children? Regardless of your fostering experience, we’re here to provide you with the right advice, information and support every step of the way.
Fostering process
Deciding to foster is a big decision to make. But we’re here to help you every step of the way. Here, we answer some of your most common questions about fostering process.
Become a foster carer
The first step towards joining the Barnardo's family is getting in touch. Complete our online form or find details about alternative contact methods here.