Charities warn of 'looming crisis' in foster care due to coronavirus
Campaigners have warned that England faces a "looming crisis" in foster care due to the coronavirus.
Children's charities say the country’s care system will be placed under great strain as a result of measures to deal with Covid-19, with some families already pushed to "breaking point".
It comes as new figures show the number of children looked after by local authorities rose by four per cent in 2017-18 to 78,000.
That includes 3,960 youngsters in the Black Country and Staffordshire.
According to the Department for Education, Sandwell had 890 looked-after children. There were 625 in Wolverhampton, 614 in Walsall and 500 in Dudley.
In Staffordshire, 1,172 youngsters were placed under local authority care.
Jane Collins, from the The Independent Foster Carers Alliance said she feared reduced support for families will mean even more children needing new homes in future.
She also said school closures have added to the strain on foster families caring for children with disabilities, who can no longer attend.
"The current unprecedented crisis is placing a massive strain on foster carers," she said.
"Foster carers with children with complex medical needs and disabilities are already at breaking point without respite provision and school to give them needed time to recharge their batteries."
Pressures
The coronavirus outbreak could also further the anxiety of children in care, causing "very challenging behaviour" and the breakdown of many placements, she added.
Anne Longfield, the Children's Commissioner for England, said there would be significant knock-on effects on children’s social care, which was already under heavy pressure.
She said: "Whilst it is hard, and unwise to predict at this stage, it would also be unwise to rule out the possibility that the number of vulnerable children needing care won’t increase, and add strain on a system whose staff are facing the exact same health threat we all are."
Almost two-thirds of looked-after children in England in 2018-19 were placed into care because they were at risk of abuse or neglect.
A Department for Education spokeswoman said schools were remaining open to children in foster care to help protect them.
She said: "Foster carers play a vital role in the lives of looked-after children.
"We are urgently addressing the challenges that they are facing during these uncertain times and working to get more emergency foster carers approved swiftly to help alleviate pressures on the system."
