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National statistics

Recruitment and retention 2014 to 2020

Updated 12 November 2020
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Return to Contents tab England Local Authority Fostering Agencies Independent Fostering Agencies
Topic Sub-topic Data 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019-20 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019-20 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019-20
Recruitment and Retention Initial enquiries Number of initial enquiries from new prospective fostering households 103,355 101,795 114,425 117,335 127,850 135,075 38,725 36,150 35,840 34,650 35,960 30,410 64,630 65,645 78,585 82,685 91,890 104,670
Not set Applications received in-year ** Total number of applications received from prospective fostering households between 1 April and 31 March 12,750 8,585 9,345 10,540 9,740 8,805 5,870 4,525 4,940 4,710 4,390 3,570 6,880 4,060 4,405 5,830 5,350 5,235
Not set Not set Number of applications approved .. 2,290 2,540 2,440 2,415 2,135 .. 1,150 1,280 985 1,020 905 .. 1,140 1,260 1,455 1,395 1,230
Not set Outcome of applications Number of applications withdrawn by applicants .. 2,085 2,090 2,225 2,470 2,490 .. 1,025 1,030 995 1,050 755 .. 1,060 1,065 1,230 1,420 1,735
Not set Outcome of applications Number of applications withdrawn by services .. 755 1,335 2,100 1,290 985 .. 330 730 625 470 425 .. 425 605 1,475 820 555
Not set Outcome of applications Number of applications rejected after being presented to panel .. 115 125 155 60 40 .. 70 120 125 40 25 .. 40 10 30 20 15
Not set Outcome of applications Number of applications which remained in progress on 31 March .. 3,100 3,250 3,615 3,500 3,130 .. 1,770 1,785 1,975 1,810 1,435 .. 1,335 1,465 1,640 1,695 1,695
Not set Newly approved households (in-year) Total number of households approved in year *** 7,955 7,270 7,875 7,790 8,400 7,695 5,220 5,035 5,515 5,145 5,680 5,200 2,735 2,235 2,355 2,645 2,720 2,490
Not set Newly approved households by primary approval type (in-year) Permanent foster care .. 1,505 1,345 1,305 1,705 1,175 .. 565 425 345 490 300 .. 945 920 960 1,215 875
Not set Not set Non-permanent foster care .. 2,600 2,615 2,810 2,650 2,735 .. 1,560 1,485 1,460 1,440 1,425 .. 1,040 1,130 1,350 1,210 1,310
Not set Not set Emergency .. 20 25 35 55 35 .. 10 10 10 10 15 .. 10 15 25 45 20
Not set Not set Family and Friends ~ 2,335 2,495 3,085 2,870 3,290 3,065 2,305 2,485 3,085 2,870 3,290 3,065 35 10 0 0 0 0
Not set Not set Parent and child .. 30 50 65 30 35 .. 10 20 25 5 5 .. 20 30 40 20 30
Not set Not set Multi-dimensional treatment .. 95 100 120 95 75 .. 15 15 15 10 0 .. 80 80 105 85 75
Not set Not set Remand .. 5 5 0 5 0 .. 0 0 0 5 0 .. 0 5 0 0 0
Not set Not set Other .. 105 70 50 60 30 .. 40 30 20 15 10 .. 65 40 25 45 20
Not set Not set Fostering to adopt .. 140 225 245 235 205 .. 135 215 200 210 155 .. 5 5 40 30 45
Not set Not set Short breaks .. 230 200 220 215 270 .. 180 150 140 155 180 .. 45 50 80 60 90
Not set Not set Shared care .. 0 65 50 60 45 .. 0 55 50 50 40 .. 0 10 5 5 5
Not set Not set Not known .. 35 45 30 5 25 .. 5 15 15 0 0 .. 30 30 15 0 20
Not set Newly approved foster carers (in-year) Total number of foster carers approved in year .. 12,025 12,805 12,775 13750 12,585 .. 8,160 8,865 8,325 9,125 8,335 .. 3,865 3,945 4,450 4,625 4,245
Not set Newly approved foster carers by ethnicity (in-year) White .. 10,045 10,340 10,290 10,965 9,970 .. 6,885 7,340 6,920 7,470 6,805 .. 3,160 2,995 3,370 3,490 3,160
Not set Not set Mixed .. 130 180 170 180 210 .. 85 115 95 120 140 .. 45 70 75 60 70
Not set Not set Asian/Asian British .. 530 675 685 835 810 .. 260 280 245 320 260 .. 270 400 440 515 550
Not set Not set Black/Black British .. 825 815 860 830 780 .. 475 410 410 380 375 .. 350 405 450 455 405
Not set Not set Other ethnic groups .. 100 115 105 155 115 .. 65 65 60 95 80 .. 35 45 45 60 35
Not set Not set Not known .. 405 680 665 790 695 .. 400 650 590 740 675 .. 5 30 75 50 20
Not set Newly approved foster carers by age (in-year) ? 20-24 .. .. .. .. .. 155 .. .. .. .. .. 140 .. .. .. .. .. 15
Not set Not set 25-29 .. .. .. .. .. 620 .. .. .. .. .. 435 .. .. .. .. .. 185
Not set Not set 30-34 .. .. .. .. .. 1,055 .. .. .. .. .. 715 .. .. .. .. .. 335
Not set Not set 35-39 .. .. .. .. .. 1,295 .. .. .. .. .. 890 .. .. .. .. .. 405
Not set Not set 40-44 .. .. .. .. .. 1,545 .. .. .. .. .. 1,015 .. .. .. .. .. 530
Not set Not set 45-49 .. .. .. .. .. 1,905 .. .. .. .. .. 1,210 .. .. .. .. .. 695
Not set Not set 50-54 .. .. .. .. .. 2,280 .. .. .. .. .. 1,415 .. .. .. .. .. 865
Not set Not set 55-59 .. .. .. .. .. 1,915 .. .. .. .. .. 1,205 .. .. .. .. .. 710
Not set Not set 60-64 .. .. .. .. .. 1,090 .. .. .. .. .. 745 .. .. .. .. .. 345
Not set Not set 65+ .. .. .. .. .. 730 .. .. .. .. .. 570 .. .. .. .. .. 160
Not set Newly approved households by total number of places (in-year) Approved for one child .. 3,840 4,255 3,930 4,125 3,940 .. 3,010 3,455 3,135 3,320 3,195 .. 830 805 795 805 740
Not set Not set Approved for two children .. 2,310 2,310 2,300 2,400 2,215 .. 1,450 1,465 1,355 1,480 1,345 .. 860 845 940 920 870
Not set Not set Approved for three children .. 1,045 1,165 1,460 1,510 1,335 .. 495 480 570 555 475 .. 550 685 890 960 860
Not set Not set Approved for four or more children .. 70 100 105 100 90 .. 55 80 85 70 70 .. 15 20 20 30 20
Not set Fostering experience New to fostering .. .. .. .. .. 3,505 .. .. .. .. .. 1,615 .. .. .. .. .. 1,890
Not set Not set Transferring from another fostering agency .. .. .. .. .. 645 .. .. .. .. .. 225 .. .. .. .. .. 420
Not set Not set Returning to fostering .. .. .. .. .. 240 .. .. .. .. .. 100 .. .. .. .. .. 135
Not set Deregistrations ? Deregistered to facilitate a transfer to a local authority .. .. 270 220 240 205 .. .. 20 15 30 25 .. .. 250 205 210 180
Not set Deregistrations Deregistered to facilitate a transfer to an independent fostering agency .. .. 410 365 360 365 .. .. 55 70 70 60 .. .. 350 295 290 305
Not set Deregistrations Deregistration initiated by the fostering service .. .. 2,555 2,375 2,910 2,205 .. .. 2,385 2,195 2,750 2,040 .. .. 165 180 160 165
Not set Deregistrations Deregistration initiated by the foster carer .. .. 4,980 5,640 5,365 5,555 .. .. 3,550 4,165 3,900 4,000 .. .. 1,430 1,470 1,465 1,555
Not set Deregistrations Deregistration for unknown reason .. .. 180 140 55 135 .. .. 105 125 35 75 .. .. 75 20 20 60
Not set Deregistrations Total households deregistered between 1 April and 31 March" .. .. 8,390 8,740 8,925 8,465 .. .. 6,120 6,575 6,780 6,205 .. .. 2,270 2,165 2,145 2,265
Not set Referrals to the IRM Number of applications for a review to the IRM 110 80 115 110 125 90 70 50 75 80 60 65 40 30 40 30 65 30
Not set Referrals to the IRM Number of which resulted in a recommendation being made to review the decision 35 30 30 35 50 25 30 15 20 25 20 20 10 10 10 10 30 10
Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set
Not set ** Recruitment outcomes data relates to those applications received in-year only. Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set
Not set *** ‘Total number of households approved in year’ measures all new households that were approved during the collection period 1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020 and who were still ‘active’ (i.e. not deregistered) at the end of the year (31 March 2020). Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set
Not set ~ In 2014-15 and 2015-16, data was collected on family and friends households and on 'connected person' households separately. From 2016-17 onwards, data on both household types was collected together as family and friends. Households approved in year have been classified as family and friends households if their primary placement offer is reported as family and friends. Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set
Not set ? This was the first year we have collected data on the age of foster carers. Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set Not set