TACT are once again disappointed at the lack of recognition for fostering families that came through in last week’s Spring Budget.

TACT CEO Andy Elvin has commented below:

“The UK is facing an unprecedented crisis in foster carer recruitment. If this is not addressed it is going to cost LA’s hundreds of millions of pounds over the next few years. The paltry response of the Department for Education to this has been to fund a small ‘pathfinder’ carer recruitment project in the North East that will have negligible effect.

The budget was a chance to do something transformative such as forgiving council tax for all registered foster carers. However, it is abundantly clear that foster families and children in care generally are in no way a meaningful priority for government. Over recent years we have seen a revolving door of children’s ministers & no concerted and properly funded approach to enacting the recommendations of the Independent Care Review that they commissioned”.

As the largest dedicated fostering charity in the UK, TACT, not only have we been helping to provide loving homes for vulnerable children for more than 30 years – we are also a voice for foster carers & children in care. We will continue to seek to influence public policy around care across the UK and use our considerable expertise and experience as a service provider to campaign for positive change.