The needs of children in care are more complex than ever. Is the fostering system keeping up?

A new report from the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers (NAFP) has highlighted a challenge many fostering professionals have been concerned about for years. 

Children entering foster care are presenting with increasingly complex needs, yet access to therapeutic support remains inconsistent, delayed and, in many areas, almost impossible to secure when it is needed most. 

For children who have experienced trauma, loss, neglect or instability, those delays can have serious consequences. 

The NAFP report warns that a lack of timely therapeutic support is placing additional pressure on foster families and increasing the risk of child placement breakdowns. It also recognises that many independent fostering agencies are being forced to step in and bridge gaps in provision themselves because specialist services are simply not available quickly enough. 

For children whose lives have already been shaped by uncertainty, every delay matters. 

The system is under ever-increasing pressure 

The concerns raised in the NAFP report are not isolated observations. They point to a fostering system under increasing strain. 

According to the report: 

• More than 80% of fostering providers say recruiting new foster parents is now a significant challenge. 

• 72% report growing difficulties retaining experienced foster parents. 

• More than 90% say the complexity of children’s needs has increased. 

• 78% believe current commissioning arrangements are creating barriers to delivering high-quality child placements. 

• 92% feel independent fostering agencies are not sufficiently recognised as essential partners in children’s social care. 

At the same time, the number of mainstream foster households in England has fallen by 10% since 2021, while the overall number of children in care continues to rise. 

This creates a worrying picture. 

The NAFP report identifies improved access to therapeutic support as one of the most urgent priorities facing the sector. 

Why access to therapeutic fostering support matters 

When people think about fostering, they often picture a child arriving in a safe and stable home and gradually settling into family life. 

While this absolutely happens, the reality is often more complex. 

Many children in care have experienced significant adverse childhood experiences. These experiences can affect emotional regulation, relationships, trust, self-esteem and behaviour long after the original events have passed. 

The impact of trauma does not disappear simply because a child moves into a nurturing home. In fact, it is often once children begin to feel safe that some of their deepest challenges begin to surface. 

Foster parents play an extraordinary role in helping children recover from trauma. However, even the most experienced foster parent cannot be expected to navigate every challenge alone. 

Without specialist support, small difficulties can escalate. Relationships can become strained. Foster parents can feel isolated and overwhelmed. Most importantly, children can miss out on the help they need at the point they need it most. 

Waiting for help takes a heavy toll on foster families 

One of the most concerning findings from the NAFP report is the continued inconsistency in access to therapeutic services across the country. 

Many foster families find themselves facing lengthy waits for specialist interventions, counselling or therapeutic input. By the time support becomes available, situations may already have escalated significantly. 

This loads pressure onto everyone involved – children continue to struggle, foster parents are left trying to respond to increasingly complex challenges and social care professionals are often working within systems where the support they know a child needs simply is not available quickly enough. 

For a child who has already experienced instability, every delay can increase the risk of their placement becoming unsettled. 

Why Mosaic Foster Care chooses to take a different approach 

At Mosaic Foster Care, we recognised this challenge many years ago. 

We saw first-hand the impact that delays in accessing support could have on children, foster parents and families. 

That is why we developed our SMILE therapeutic framework and built an in-house therapeutic team that sits at the heart of everything we do. 

Rather than relying solely on external services, our foster families have direct access to accredited psychotherapists, therapists and specialist therapeutic professionals who understand both trauma and fostering. 

Support is available when it is needed, not months later. 

This means foster parents can receive guidance early. Children can access therapeutic interventions sooner. Challenges can be explored before they develop into crises. 

Just as importantly, therapeutic support is not reserved solely for the child. Birth children, foster parents and family dynamics all play a role in creating a stable environment where children can recover and thrive. Our therapeutic approach reflects this reality. 

Independent recognition of Mosaic Foster Care’s therapeutic model 

Earlier this year, Ofsted recognised the impact of this approach during its inspection of Mosaic Foster Care, awarding the agency an Outstanding rating for the third time in a row – only 1% of fostering agencies have achieved this in the country. 

Inspectors described Mosaic’s therapeutic model as being “central to its success” and highlighted the quality of the agency’s therapeutic team. The report noted that foster parents and staff described therapeutic support as “responsive, accessible and often goes above and beyond”. 

Inspectors also recognised that children and foster parents benefit from regular therapeutic consultation, reflective practice and consistent emotional support. 

For us, this validation matters because it reflects what our foster parents tell us every day. 

Access to specialist therapeutic support should not be a luxury. It should be a fundamental part of helping children recover from trauma and experience long-term stability. 

Frequently asked questions around the benefits of therapeutic fostering 

1. What is therapeutic fostering? 

Therapeutic fostering is an approach that helps foster parents understand how trauma, loss and adverse childhood experiences affect a child’s behaviour, emotions and relationships. Rather than focusing solely on behaviour management, therapeutic fostering uses trauma-informed strategies, specialist training and professional support to help children feel safe, build trust and recover from difficult early experiences. 

2. Why do children in foster care need therapeutic support? 

Many children entering foster care have experienced trauma, neglect, abuse, family breakdown or significant instability. These experiences can affect emotional wellbeing, confidence, relationships and behaviour. Therapeutic support helps children process these experiences, develop healthy coping strategies and build secure relationships that support long-term stability and positive outcomes. 

3. How does therapeutic support help foster parents? 

Therapeutic support gives foster parents access to specialist guidance when challenges arise. This can help them better understand a child’s needs, respond confidently to difficult situations and strengthen relationships within the home. Early support can often prevent small concerns from becoming larger challenges and helps foster parents feel supported in their role. 

4. What makes a foster placement more stable? 

Placement stability is influenced by several factors, including careful matching, strong relationships, consistent routines, high-quality training and access to professional support. Therapeutic support can play an important role by helping foster parents understand and respond to a child’s emotional needs, reducing the likelihood of placement breakdowns and supporting long-term success. 

5. What questions should I ask a fostering agency about support? 

Before choosing a fostering agency, it is worth asking: 

• What therapeutic support is available for children and foster parents?  

• How quickly can support be accessed if challenges arise?  

• What training is provided before and after approval?  

• How often will I have contact with my supervising social worker?  

• What support is available outside normal office hours?  

Understanding the level of support available can help you choose an agency that will be there when you need guidance most. 

Supporting stability through relationships 

The NAFP report highlights that placement stability remains one of the most important factors in achieving positive outcomes for children. 

We agree. Therapy is not about “fixing” children. It is about helping foster parents understand the impact of trauma, strengthen relationships and develop the confidence and skills needed to support children through difficult moments. 

When foster parents feel supported, they are better equipped to support the child. 

When challenges are addressed early, placements are more likely to remain stable. 

When children experience consistent, therapeutic relationships over time, they have the opportunity to heal. 

This is why we invest heavily in therapeutic support, reflective practice, specialist training and ongoing professional development for our foster parents. 

Greg De Smidt, Managing Director at Mosaic Foster Care, said: “The fostering sector is caring for children with increasingly complex experiences and needs, yet many families are still being asked to wait far too long for specialist support.  

“Foster parents are often the most important therapeutic relationship in a child’s life, but they should never be left carrying that responsibility on their own. When support is available quickly, relationships strengthen, confidence grows and children have a far greater opportunity to recover from trauma and experience long-term stability.” 

As the fostering sector continues to face increasing pressures, access to high-quality therapeutic support is no longer a desirable extra. It is becoming an essential part of providing the stability, understanding and long-term care that children need to thrive. 

At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe every child deserves that opportunity and every foster parent deserves the support to help make it possible. 

Are you considering becoming a foster parent? 

If you’re exploring fostering and want to understand what meaningful therapeutic support looks like in practice, we’d be happy to talk. 

Speak to an experienced Mosaic foster parent today and discover how our therapeutic approach supports children, foster parents and the whole family from day one. 

About Mosaic Foster Care  

Mosaic Foster Care is an independent fostering agency providing Ofsted Outstanding rated therapeutic foster care across Essex, Suffolk, Bedfordshire including Milton Keynes, Hertfordshire, North Kent, Northamptonshire and Worcestershire.

Our mission is to ensure every child in our care thrives in a stable, nurturing home. We achieve this by providing long-term foster placements and by carefully matching children and foster parents. We keep caseloads small and embed in-house professionally delivered therapy and youth support into everyday practice – so no child is ever left waiting for the critical support they need.  Foster parents receive more than £700 per week after training and benefit from ongoing professional development, and a community that truly understands the rewards and challenges of fostering.