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Foster Care: Sutton Coldfield

Answer

The department recognises the incredible work and commitment of emergency and short-term foster carers in providing stability and support for children.

Foster carers play an essential role in children’s lives, and the department remains committed to strengthening support for them.

To achieve this, the department has launched a consultation on updated national standards and guidance for fostering. These standards apply across all fostering arrangements, including emergency, short-term, long-term, short-break and parent-and-child placements.

The standards set clearer expectations for fostering services to provide foster carers with high-quality training, support, multidisciplinary expertise and early intervention, helping to prevent placement breakdown and improve carer retention. They reinforce these expectations for short-break care, emphasising effective information-sharing and supporting relationships between carers, children and families to provide continuity across repeated stays.

Alongside this, the department is investing in the Mockingbird Family Model to expand access to enhanced support and peer networks for foster carers.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

16854

Session

2026-27

Subjects

Foster care Sutton Coldfield

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk