Home working and cost-of-living crisis 'causing shortage of foster parents'

There are more than 9,000 children in care across Yorkshire and Humberside

Rising costs and the fallout from Covid have led to more children going into care and a shortage of foster families.

There are more than 9,000 children in care across Yorkshire and Humberside, 4,500 in West Yorkshire alone.

Latest government figures show the number of children in care in Yorkshire and the Humber has risen from 8,190 in 2018 to 9,300 in 2022.

Leeds City Council has around 750 foster families but figures show these numbers are declining nationally.

Fiona Venner, from Leeds City Council, said more foster carers were desperately needed

Councillor Fiona Venner, executive member for adult and children's social care for Leeds City Council, said: "The fallout of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis are contributing to more children coming into care. We desperately need more foster carers."

Councils sometimes use agencies to find foster families but those organisations report that the fostering environment has become more challenging.

'We need more foster carers'

Bev Maymond, from Capstone Foster Care North, said: "It's been really difficult. A challenge we didn't anticipate was that after the pandemic many people who had spare bedrooms altered those bedrooms and made them into offices, in order to work from home."

She said the cost-of-living crisis had resulted in more children coming into care and carers being increasingly concerned about the financial impact of looking after a child.

"It's more difficult now to provide families for children in need," she said.

But Ms Maymond said foster families were given "generous allowances" as well as support and training to "offer children a secure stable, family life".

Sebastian and Patrick Quinn said that being foster carers is challenging but wonderful

Sebastian and Patrick Quinn, a married couple from Selby who care for three siblings, said that becoming foster carers was "the best decision we've ever made".

Sebastian said it was a challenging job but "so rewarding" to change a child's life for the better.

They have looked after children who have experienced trauma and said that at times it could be challenging.

But Patrick said it was important to remember that these children have a whole personal history that made them who they are. "They have to get used to you and you have to get used to them."

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Sebastian added that seeing the change in the children they've fostered has been wonderful.

"You think about all the kids that don't have anyone and it makes you wish you had a much bigger house. But it's important to focus on what you can do - not what you can't."

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