In this episode of Care Visions Talks: Family Talk, host Lucy Johnston is joined by Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister OBE MP for a timely and in-depth conversation on fostering reform in the UK.

Drawing on his leadership of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the Minister outlines a vision to transform a system he believes has become too focused on process rather than people.

From the urgent need to recruit 10,000 new foster carers, to removing unnecessary barriers preventing families from stepping forward, this discussion explores what meaningful reform could look like — and why change is needed now.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The foster carer shortage in the UK
• Plans to recruit 10,000 new foster carers
• Barriers facing prospective fostering families
• Approval processes and bureaucratic challenges
• Children being placed far from home
• Stability, belonging and community connections
• Investment and future reform plans

If you care about the future of fostering, children’s social care, and creating stable, loving homes, this is an essential conversation.

Care Visions Talks is a UK podcast sharing conversations on parenting, fostering, care experience and supporting families.

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