Interview: Reflecting on Fostering Reform with Rasheda, Founder of Fosterli

Q: Since the publication of “Renewing Fostering: Homes for 10,000 more children”, how has the sector responded?

There’s been a real mix of energy, curiosity and concern. Since the report was published, we’ve seen a wave of briefings, conferences and critique across the sector, including some strong safeguarding concerns being raised publicly.

What’s important to say is that reform itself wasn’t a surprise. We’ve been on a journey for some time, from the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, through to the Stable, Loving Homes report, and early pilots like Regional Recruitment Hubs.

What has surprised people is the scale, speed and direction of change. It’s ambitious, which is positive, but it has also created genuine anxiety about how these changes will land in practice, particularly when it comes to safeguarding.

Q: You attended the Department for Education briefing led by CoramBAAF. What stood out to you?

What struck me most was the level of concern coming directly from Local Authorities.

There was a perception from some attendees that they were being “forced” into Regional Recruitment Hubs. I had initially assumed these were something Local Authorities would naturally want to opt into, but it became clear that experiences so far have been mixed. Some have seen benefits, others felt it hadn’t improved recruitment outcomes.

It was clarified during the session that participation is not mandatory, and there were also positive examples shared. But the fact that this needed clarifying speaks volumes about how the reform is being experienced on the ground.

Over 600 people attended that session. That level of turnout reflects just how much anticipation, and frankly anxiety, there is across the sector.

Q: Safeguarding has been a major theme in the response. What are the key concerns?

Yes, safeguarding came through very strongly, and it’s something I share concerns about.

The issue isn’t necessarily any single change in isolation. It’s the combination of multiple significant changes happening at once, and the risk of unintended blind spots as a result.

Some of the key concerns include:

• The proposed removal of fostering panel recommendations at approval and first-year review

• Changes to how allegations are handled

• Consideration of removing the fostering limit, allowing Foster Carers to care for more than four children

When you layer this alongside a push to significantly increase the number of Foster Carers, without a clear parallel increase in Social Workers to supervise and support them, it raises serious questions.

There was a moment in the briefing where someone reminded the group that many of the “time-consuming” processes we have today exist because of learning from child deaths and serious case reviews. That context is critical.

Q: How does this align with wider thinking in children’s social care reform?

There’s a useful perspective from Eileen Munro, who has led multiple serious case reviews. Reflecting on large-scale reform, she highlighted how complex and interconnected the system is, and how risky it can be to change everything at once.

That really resonates here. Fostering sits within a wider ecosystem of safeguarding, and any change needs to be considered within that complexity.

Q: You also attended the CoramBAAF annual fostering conference. What was the mood there?

It was an incredibly powerful day. There was real passion in the room from Social Workers, Foster Carers, people with care experience and sector leaders.

One of the most impactful moments came from the care-experienced panel. They asked the room: “Who here thinks seven weeks is a reasonable timeframe for meaningful consultation?”

No one agreed.

That moment really highlighted a core tension. Reform is happening quickly, but those most affected by the system don’t feel they’ve had enough time or space to shape it.

Q: There’s been significant debate around the removal of fostering panels. What’s your view?

There’s a strong consensus across much of the sector that panel oversight plays a vital role.

While it’s true that panels often agree with recommendations, their value is in scrutiny. They challenge, they add conditions, they send reports back, and they bring together a breadth of perspectives, including those with lived experience.

Making this optional risks reducing that input to something more tokenistic over time. And importantly, it removes an element of independent oversight at a critical decision point.

From my own experience as a Panel Member, and from speaking to others, there’s a real sense that this is a safeguard worth protecting, particularly given the vulnerability of the children involved.

Q: What about Foster Carers themselves, how are they experiencing this reform?

There’s been a lot of emotion around how fostering is being positioned.

Fostering has always sat somewhere between a profession and a vocation. It doesn’t fit neatly into traditional definitions of “work”, but that shouldn’t diminish the level of skill, responsibility and emotional labour involved.

Many Foster Carers feel that this hasn’t been fully recognised in the reform narrative. The core issues remain the same:

• Not enough support

• Not enough financial recognition

• Not enough respect for the role

And this directly links to retention. Around 30% of Foster Carers leave within the first two years. That’s not just natural churn, it reflects deeper systemic challenges.

Q: Where does Fosterli sit within all of this?

At Fosterli, we focus on one part of the system, but it’s an important one.

We know there is a clear relationship between the quality of assessment and onboarding, and long-term retention. A strong assessment process doesn’t just approve more carers, it prepares them properly for what’s ahead.

But that only works if it’s matched with the right support afterwards. Having worked as a Supervising Social Worker, I’ve seen first-hand how stretched the system is. Too often, it becomes reactive rather than preventative.

Our role is to reduce the administrative burden where it doesn’t add value, so Social Workers can focus on what really matters: building relationships, preparing Foster Carers, and supporting them effectively.

Q: Overall, are you optimistic about the reform?

I am. The sector has needed innovation for a long time, and it’s encouraging to see that level of focus and investment.

At the same time, it’s right that people are asking difficult questions. This isn’t a system where we can afford to get it wrong.

What reassures me is the strength of the sector’s response. Social Workers, Foster Carers and those with lived experience are speaking up, engaging in the debate and shaping what comes next.

At Fosterli, we remain committed to supporting high-quality assessments. Our aim is simple: streamline the process where it doesn’t matter, so there is more time and capacity for where it truly does, the support and preparation of Foster Carers creating safe, stable homes for children.