Fostering in the West Midlands
Foster in Birmingham
Birmingham has a special place in heart because it where we are based. With that in mind if you are in the Birmingham area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is having our headquarters almost on your doorstop – Our office has an open door policy so you are free to pop in whenever you like for a chat or to ask any questions, its also where we hold the majority of our training and support group meetings.
Foster in Coventry
As a Birmingham based agency we have good connections and relationships with our neighbouring Coventry City Council. With that in mind if you are thinking of fostering in Coventry, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being so close to our headquarters. FIND OUT MORE
Foster in Dudley
We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Dudley area are in need of Foster homes, Dudley MBC Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child.
FIND OUT MOREFoster in Herefordshire
Foster in Sandwell
As a locally based agency (Birmingham) we have good connections and relationships with our neighbouring Sandwell Council. With that in mind if you are in the Sandwell area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being so close to our headquarters – Our office has an open door policy so you are free to pop in whenever you like for a chat or to ask any questions, its also where we hold the majority of our training and support group meetings.
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Foster in Shropshire
Foster in Solihull
As a Birmingham based agency we have good connections and relationships with our neighbouring Solihull Council. With that in mind if you are in the Solihull area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being so close to our headquarters – Our office has an open door policy so you are free to pop in whenever you like for a chat or to ask any questions, its also where we hold the majority of our training and support group meetings. FIND OUT MORE
Foster in Staffordshire
We are an approved Foster Carer provider for Staffordshire County Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Staffordshire area in need of Foster homes, Staffordshire Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child within the area.
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Foster in Stoke-on-Trent
We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Stoke on Trent Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Stoke area in need of Foster homes, Stoke on Trent Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child. As such we work with them closely to ensure we recruit and train the most suitable and well matched Foster Carers possible.
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Foster in Telford & Wrekin
We are happy to share that, as a West Midlands based fostering service (Birmingham), we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Telford and Wrekin Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities)
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Foster in Walsall
We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Walsall Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Walsall area are in need of Foster homes, Walsall Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child. As such we work with them closely to ensure we recruit and train the most suitable and well matched Foster Carers possible.
FIND OUT MOREFoster in Warwickshire
We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Warwickshire County Council (as well as for all local neighbouring Local Authorities in the West Midlands) which means that when children and young people from the Warwickshire area are in need of Foster homes, Warwickshire Childrens Services will forward us a referral to see what suitable homes we have for that child.
FIND OUT MOREFoster in Wolverhampton
We are happy to share that we are an approved Foster Carer provider for Wolverhampton Council (as well as for all local surrounding Local Authorities) which means that when children and young people from the Wolverhampton area in need of Foster homes
FIND OUT MOREFoster in Worcestershire
As an agency based in the heart of the West Midlands based we have good connections and relationships with all Local Authorities in the area including the children’s team at Worcestershire Council. With that in mind if you are in the Worcestershire area, a really big benefit for you as an F5 Foster Carer is being quite close to our headquarters
FIND OUT MORESelect your area on the map to view information and make an enquiry
Fostering Sandwell
Fostering West Midlands
Children and young people come into care for a variety of reasons, of these overwhelming and sadly the reason is due to Neglect and Abuse (64%) with other reasons including, but not limited to, family dysfunction, acute family stress, respite breaks or the sudden illness or death of a parent or carer. There is a desperate need for Fostering in the West Midlands for these children.
What foster carers are needed in the West Midlands
There is a real need at the moment to increase the number of Foster home across the West Midlands, and as a whole we need to recruit committed carers across the board for children of all ages, however, we have seen that there is a clear need to recruit additional Carers that are able to offer homes to older children and young people aged 8 upwards.
We are also dedicated to keeping siblings together, where appropriate, and as such are in need of homes that are able to consider fostering more than one child.
There is also an increasing demand foster carers who can support children with complex medical needs and/or life limiting conditions.
To give you an idea of the scope of fostering, specific to West Midlands, please see below localised information that you may find helpful.
On the 31st March each year the government takes a snapshot of data to assess and gain better clarity of the fostering landscape across counties throughout England. As we cover the entire West Midlands we have added below some regional statistics and information that you may find helpful in understanding the types of children that are coming into care and for what reasons. We have also broken this information down into specific Local Authority areas too so that you can see information specific to your council (It may also be worth checking out the information for your neighbouring local authorities too as sometimes they may reach out to other closely located foster carers if they have been unable to find a suitably matched Foster Carer within their own Local Authority, so for example Solihull Council may reach out to Coventry or Birmingham based Foster Carers so that children can remain close to schools / family / activities.
How many children are in care in West Midlands
In 2021 there were 1921 children and young people in care from within the West Midlands region, with the vast majority of these children and young people in a Foster Care, (a total of 8,120 – 73%).
Why are the children coming into care
The reasons that children and young people are entering care in in the West Midlands is monitored by each Local Authority within the region. Sadly, and overwhelmingly, the reason that these children are becoming looked after is due to abuse and neglect. In a lot of these cases, its not that the birth families are purposely harming their children, but they are not able to keep the safe and well, and the Local Authority will continue to work with the family with a plan to reunify following a package of support. Unfortunately, in others cases of abuse this is not the case.
There are other reasons that a child may come into care as you will see form the table below:
| 2021 | ||
| Total | Percentage | 100% |
| Number | 11,120 | |
| N1. Abuse or Neglect | Percentage | 67% |
| Number | 7450 | |
| N2. Child's Disability | Percentage | 2% |
| Number | 250 | |
| N3. Parental Illness or Disability | Percentage | 3% |
| Number | 340 | |
| N4. Family in Acute Stress | Percentage | 8% |
| Number | 910 | |
| N5. Family Dysfunction | Percentage | 14% |
| Number | 1520 | |
| N6. Socially Unacceptable Behaviour | Percentage | 1% |
| Number | 170 | |
| N7. Low Income | Percentage | 0% |
| Number | 20 | |
| N8. Absent Parents | Percentage | 5% |
| Number | 470 | |
| 2021 | ||
| Total | Percentage | 100% |
| Number | 11120 | |
| 1 to 4 years | Percentage | 67% |
| Number | 7450 | |
| 10 to 15 years | Percentage | 2% |
| Number | 250 | |
| 16 and over | Percentage | 3% |
| Number | 340 | |
| 5 to 9 years | Percentage | 8% |
| Number | 910 | |
| Under 1 year | Percentage | 14% |
| Number | 1520 | |
About the children that come into care
Children come into care every day of all ages, however some age groups are represented more so. The graph below shows the ages of the children in care in 2021.
It’s important that there are a diverse range of foster homes to meet the needs of a diverse range of children and young people. Part of that is to try and match children, where possible, with families who share the same ethnicity, religions, languages to name a few. That’s why knowing information such as this is important.
| 2021 | ||
| Total | Percentage | 100% |
| Number | 11120 | |
| Asian or Asian British | Percentage | 5% |
| Number | 540 | |
| Black, African, Caribbean or Black British | Percentage | 6% |
| Number | 610 | |
| Mixed or Multiple Ethnic Groups | Percentage | 14% |
| Number | 1570 | |
| Other Ethnic Group | Percentage | 2% |
| Number | 250 | |
| Refused or information not yet available | Percentage | 1% |
| Number | 80 | |
| White | Percentage | 73% |
| Number | 8080 | |
please follow the area links at on this page to see how this information breaks down to your local area.
Join us
Interested? We’d love to hear from you. You could help us to make a real difference and give a child a safe and stable home.