UK launches foster care recruitment drive to address 10,000 placement shortfall

England faces a chronic shortage of foster carers, prompting a new government-backed campaign targeting adults in their 30s and 40s to create 10,000 additional placements. The initiative responds to a systemic crisis in child placement capacity, exacerbated by pandemic-era exits and rising demand. Success is uncertain, as recruitment alone may not address underlying retention and support issues.