Staying Put in foster care: Why young people leaving care need more than a policy promise

Turning 18 should not mean losing the people, routines and relationships that have helped you feel safe.

For many young people in foster care, adulthood does not arrive neatly on their 18th birthday. It does not come with instant confidence, financial security, emotional readiness or a clear plan for the future.

Like many young adults, they may still need a familiar home, trusted adults around them and time to work out what comes next.

That is why the Staying Put arrangement is so critical for young people in care.

Staying Put allows a young person to remain living with their foster parents after they turn 18, when both the young person and the foster family want that arrangement to continue.

At its best, it gives young people leaving care something many of their peers can take for granted: the chance to move into adulthood gradually, with support still wrapped around them.

At Mosaic Foster Care, we welcome the renewed attention being given to Staying Put and the opportunity for the fostering sector to contribute to the debates around it.

The Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers (NAFP) is contributing to the DfE’s review of Staying Put arrangements.

NAFP sought views from members across England, including chief executives, registered managers, supervising social workers, finance professionals and practitioners with direct experience of supporting Staying Put arrangements.

What came back was overwhelming consensus that Staying Put is one of the most important and successful developments in supporting care-experienced young people into adulthood.

Staying Put is a policy with enormous value. But if it is going to fulfil its purpose, it needs to be supported by early planning, fair funding and clearer accountability.

Staying Put works well when it is planned well

When Staying Put works, it can be life-changing.

It gives young people continuity. It allows them to remain with people who know them well. It reduces the pressure to move into independence before they are ready. It can support education, training, work, emotional wellbeing and the everyday confidence that comes from knowing you still have somewhere familiar to return to.

For a young person who has already experienced disruption, uncertainty or trauma, that continuity can make a profound difference.

But Staying Put cannot be treated as a last-minute conversation.

Planning for adulthood should begin long before a young person turns 18. Assessments and pathway planning should begin from the age of 16, with clear conversations about what the young person wants, what support they will need and what options are available to them.

In practice however, this does not always happen.

Too often, young people are approaching 18 without a clear pathway plan in place. Social workers may be under immense pressure, responding to urgent safeguarding concerns, children’s placements at risk of ending, and unmanageable caseloads.

Reviews may identify the need for planning but without a clear escalation route actions can drift.

The result is that a young person can be left facing adulthood without knowing where they will live, who will support them or what will happen next. That uncertainty can affect a young person’s whole sense of safety.

Uncertainty before 18 can be deeply unsettling

Imagine being 17 and not knowing where you will be living in six months’ time.

Now imagine that you are not financially independent, you do not have the same family safety net as many of your peers and most of the decisions about your life are being made by adults around you.

That level of uncertainty can be frightening.

For young people in care, anxiety about the future is not abstract. It can affect their emotional wellbeing, their relationships, their education and their ability to trust the adults supporting them. If a young person feels that nobody has a clear plan for them, it can reinforce earlier experiences of instability and powerlessness.

This is why pathway planning matters so much.

A young person should not reach their 18th birthday and suddenly discover that the adults around them are still trying to work out whether Staying Put is possible. By then, the conversation is already too late.

Good planning gives young people time. Time to ask questions. Time to understand their options. Time to feel involved. Time to prepare emotionally and practically for adulthood.

That planning should not depend on individual persistence, local relationships or which local authority is responsible. It should be consistent, expected and properly monitored.

Staying Put should not be a postcode lottery for young people in care

One of the biggest challenges with Staying Put is inconsistency.

Funding arrangements can vary widely between local authorities. Some former foster parents may receive one amount, while others receive something entirely different. In some cases, young people are expected to contribute from their own benefits or wages to make up a shortfall.

That creates an unnecessary and uncomfortable tension.

Former foster parents do not enter Staying Put arrangements because they want to take money from a young person who is just beginning adult life. They do it because the relationship matters and because they want to continue offering stability. But they also need the arrangement to be financially sustainable.

Staying Put cannot rely on goodwill alone.

If former foster parents are expected to continue providing a home, practical care, emotional support, guidance and stability, then the funding must reflect the reality of that role. Otherwise, some families who want to offer Staying Put may simply be unable to afford it.

This is where the postcode lottery becomes so damaging. A young person’s ability to remain in the home they know should not depend on where they live or which local authority funds their care.

Young people should not have to “qualify” for stability

There is another important principle at stake.

Staying Put should not be treated as something a young person only deserves if they are in education, employment or training.

Of course, education, training and work can be important parts of a young person’s transition to adulthood. But some young people need time to recover, regroup and understand what they want their future to look like. They may have experienced trauma. They may be navigating mental health difficulties. They may have started a course and then stepped away from it. They may not yet be ready to sustain work or further study.

Removing the security of a trusted home at that point is unlikely to help, it’s far more likely to do the opposite.

For some young people, Staying Put is precisely what gives them the stability they need to re-engage with education, explore work, build confidence or begin making longer-term plans. It should be seen as part of the support that helps a young person move forward, not as a reward only available once they are already coping well.

Staying Put must be built into sufficiency planning

There is also a wider system issue.

When a young person remains in a Staying Put arrangement, that is a positive outcome. It means the relationship has lasted. It means the young person wants to stay. It means the former foster parents are willing to continue offering support.

But it also means that a fostering household may not have the same capacity to care for another child.

That matters for sufficiency planning. Local authorities and fostering providers are already working within a national shortage of foster parents. If Staying Put is successful, then the system must plan for that success. It cannot treat a continued family relationship as an unexpected pressure on capacity.

In other words, we need more foster parents but we also need to recognise that some foster families will continue supporting young people beyond 18.

What Mosaic Foster Care does to support young people beyond 18

At Mosaic Foster Care, our approach has always been rooted in long-term thinking.

We specialise in long-term therapeutic fostering because we believe children need stability, consistency and support that continues as their needs change. Our aim is not simply to find a child a foster home for now. It is to support them through childhood and, where appropriate, into adulthood.

That means we take Staying Put seriously.

Where a young person remains with their former foster parents, we continue to think about their needs, their relationships and their transition into adult life. We adapt our review processes so the focus reflects the Staying Put arrangement. We maintain ongoing contact. Where local authority funding allows, some young people continue to access therapeutic support.

Turning 18 does not erase a young person’s history, needs or relationships and the support around them should not suddenly disappear either.

We were pleased that Ofsted recognised the strength of this long-term approach in our recent inspection. Inspectors noted that a high proportion of young people stay with their foster parents beyond 18 under Staying Put arrangements, reflecting the secure relationships formed through the agency’s work.

For us, that is exactly what long-term fostering should be aiming for: not just stability during childhood, but trusted relationships that can continue into adulthood.

What needs to change

If Staying Put is going to work consistently, several things need to happen.

First, planning must begin early. Young people should not be left waiting until they are nearly 18 before serious conversations begin. Pathway planning should be timely, detailed and centred on the young person’s wishes and needs.

Second, there must be clear accountability when planning does not happen. It is not enough for concerns to be raised repeatedly in reviews if nothing changes. Agencies, social workers, Independent Reviewing Officers and local authorities need a clear escalation process when pathway planning is delayed.

Third, funding must be fair and transparent. Former foster parents should not face a sudden and significant financial drop when a young person turns 18. Young people should not be expected to use their limited income to make the arrangement viable.

Fourth, Staying Put should be flexible enough to reflect real young adult lives. Some young people will be in education. Some will be working. Some will be figuring things out. Some will need more time. Stability should not be removed because a young person’s path into adulthood is not straightforward.

Finally, Staying Put must be part of wider leaving care planning. It sits alongside other options such as Staying Close, semi-independent living, kinship care or returning to birth family. The key is that the young person understands their options, has a voice in the process and is supported to move at a pace that is right for them.

A bridge into adulthood, not a cliff edge

Staying Put is not just a policy mechanism. It is about relationships.

It is about recognising that young people leaving care should not be expected to become independent overnight. It is about giving them the same kind of gradual transition that many young adults rely on. It is about making sure the people who have supported them through childhood are not forced to step away because planning has been poor or funding is inconsistent.

At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe young people deserve more than a cliff edge at 18.

They deserve a bridge.

That bridge needs to be planned early, funded fairly and built around the relationships that help young people feel safe enough to move forward.

As the Government and the wider fostering sector look again at Staying Put, we hope the focus remains firmly where it should be: on young people’s life chances, their emotional wellbeing and their right to enter adulthood with the support they need.

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. 

FAQs: Staying Put arrangements for young people leaving care

1. What is Staying Put fostering in the UK?

Staying Put is an arrangement that allows a young person in foster care to remain living with their former foster parents after they turn 18. At Mosaic Foster Care, we see Staying Put as much more than a technical change in legal status. It is a way of giving young people a steadier transition into adulthood, rather than expecting them to become independent overnight. When it is planned properly, Staying Put protects important relationships, routines and support at a time when young people may still need the security of a familiar home.

2. How does Staying Put work?

Before a young person turns 18, their local authority should be planning for adulthood through their pathway plan. If the young person wants to remain with their foster parents, and their foster parents agree, the arrangement can become a Staying Put arrangement after the young person’s 18th birthday. The key point is that this should not be a last-minute decision. Staying Put works best when everyone understands the practical, emotional and financial arrangements well in advance. At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe the process should be planned early, reviewed properly and centred on the young person’s needs, not rushed through as their 18th birthday approaches.

3. Who is eligible for Staying Put arrangements?

In broad terms, Staying Put applies to a young person who was looked after immediately before their 18th birthday and continues living with the foster parents who were caring for them at that point. The arrangement should be included in the young person’s Pathway Plan. Government guidance also makes clear that Staying Put can apply whether the young person is in education, training, employment or none of these activities. This matters because young people leaving care may need time to recover, build confidence and work out their next steps. Stability should not be treated as something they only deserve once they already appear to be coping well.

4. How long can a Staying Put arrangement last?

A Staying Put arrangement can usually continue until the young person turns 21. In some circumstances, it may continue beyond 21 if the young person is completing an agreed programme of education or training that was already under way. For Mosaic Foster Care, the principle is simple: young people should be supported to move into adulthood at a pace that is right for them. Some will be ready for greater independence earlier. Others will need longer. The important thing is that their future is planned with them, not decided around them.

5. Who decides if a young person can stay put?

A successful Staying Put arrangement depends on the young person wanting to remain, the former foster parents being willing and able to continue offering a home, and the local authority agreeing and supporting the arrangement through the pathway planning process. At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe young people should have a meaningful voice in this decision. They should not be left waiting for adults to make plans in the background without knowing what their future looks like.

6. What are the benefits of Staying Put?

Staying Put gives young people continuity at a crucial stage of life. It allows them to remain with people who know them well, keep familiar routines and move towards independence gradually. For many young people in care, relationships have already been disrupted. Staying Put can protect one of the most important relationships they have built. At Mosaic Foster Care, this aligns closely with our long-term therapeutic fostering approach: stability is not just about where a young person lives, but about the trusted adults who continue to stand beside them.

7. What support is available for young adults in Staying Put?

Support should be set out in the young person’s Pathway Plan and may include practical, emotional, educational and financial support. The local authority remains central to this planning and should ensure the young person understands what support is available and how it will be reviewed. At Mosaic Foster Care, where local authority funding allows, we can continue elements of our support beyond 18.

8. Are Staying Put carers paid?

Yes, former foster parents are usually paid for a Staying Put arrangement, but the level of payment can vary significantly between local authorities. This is one of the biggest issues with Staying Put. The current position is inconsistent, with different foster parents receiving very different amounts and, in some cases, young people being expected to contribute from their own benefits. At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe this is unfair on both the young person and the former foster parents. A policy designed to create stability should not create financial pressure or tension within the household.

9. Who pays for Staying Put arrangements?

Staying Put arrangements are usually funded through the local authority, though the exact structure can vary. Government guidance says local Staying Put policies should explain how allowances, young person contributions, benefits, tax and other financial issues will be handled. This is where national consistency matters. If the funding is unclear or inadequate, former foster parents may be placed in a difficult position, even when they want to continue supporting the young person. Mosaic Foster Care’s view is that Staying Put should be funded in a way that reflects the real responsibility involved.

10. How does Staying Put differ from regular fostering?

Before 18, the young person is legally a child in foster care. After 18, they are legally an adult, so the arrangement changes. Government guidance explains that after a young person’s 18th birthday, the legal basis changes from a foster care placement to a Staying Put arrangement. But emotionally, the relationship does not suddenly change because a young person has had a birthday. This is why Mosaic Foster Care believes language, planning and support all matter. The arrangement may be different legally, but the young person may still need familiar adults, consistent boundaries, practical guidance and a nurturing home environment.

11. What responsibilities do foster parents have in Staying Put?

Former foster parents continue to provide a home, day-to-day guidance and emotional support, but the arrangement is not the same as fostering a child under 18. Expectations should be clearly agreed, including household arrangements, financial contributions, safeguarding, education or work plans, and what support the young person and former foster parents can expect. At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe these responsibilities must be discussed openly and early.

12. How can foster parents prepare for transition into Staying Put?

Foster parents should be part of pathway planning discussions from around the young person’s 16th birthday, so everyone has time to consider what the young person wants, what support they need and whether Staying Put is the right option. At Mosaic Foster care, we would encourage foster parents to ask direct questions: Is Staying Put being considered? Has the pathway plan been completed? What funding will be available? What support will continue after 18? Who is responsible for progressing each action?

13. What happens when a young person turns 21 in Staying Put?

In many cases, Staying Put comes to an end when the young person turns 21. However, some arrangements may continue for longer where the young person is completing an agreed programme of education or training. The important point is that turning 21 should not create another cliff edge. Planning for what comes next should begin well before the arrangement ends. At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe transitions from Staying Put should be handled with the same care as any other major change in a young person’s life.

14. What challenges exist with implementing Staying Put?

The biggest challenges are late planning, inconsistent funding, unclear escalation and pressure on fostering capacity. Some young people approach 18 without a clear pathway plan, even though planning should have started much earlier. Staying Put can reduce fostering vacancies because the former foster parents may not have room to care for another child while the young person remains living with them. Mosaic Foster Care’s view is that these challenges are not reasons to weaken Staying Put. They are reasons to fund it properly, plan it earlier and build it into local authority sufficiency planning.

15. Why is Mosaic Foster Care speaking up about Staying Put?

Mosaic Foster Care specialises in long-term therapeutic fostering, so Staying Put is closely connected to our whole approach. We support children with the intention of helping them experience stability, trusted relationships and support into adulthood. Ofsted recognised this in Mosaic Foster Care’s 2026 inspection, noting that a high proportion of young people stay with their foster parents beyond 18 under Staying Put arrangements, reflecting the secure bonds formed. At Mosaic Foster Care, we believe Staying Put is the right policy ambition. Now it needs the planning, funding and accountability to match.