- New recruitment campaign seeks specialist foster carers across Yorkshire and the East Midlands.
- Bridge to Belonging provides enhanced support for children moving from residential care into family homes.
- The Fostering Network estimates that 930 more foster families are needed across Yorkshire and the Humber and the East Midlands during 2026.
- Foster carers receive enhanced financial, practical and specialist support during the child’s first year with them.
Team Fostering and Randstad have joined forces on a new recruitment campaign, combining Team Fostering’s specialist fostering expertise with Randstad’s national recruitment reach to find more foster carers across Yorkshire and the East Midlands.
The campaign will introduce more people to Step Down Fostering, which supports children and young people who are ready to move from residential care into safe, nurturing family homes.
responding to an urgent regional need.
The Fostering Network estimates that England needs 5,000 more foster families during 2026, including 560 in Yorkshire and the Humber and 370 in the East Midlands.
In February 2026, the government also announced plans to create up to 10,000 additional foster care places during this Parliament, recognising that a shortage of suitable homes means some children are placed far from their communities or remain in residential care when a family setting could better meet their needs.
More recently, in July 2026, the Department for Education announced further measures to expand foster care and strengthen support for foster families, alongside proposals for updated fostering standards that put lasting relationships at the centre of care.
Richard Sutherland, Randstad Divisional Director, Social Work, said:
“Some children are ready to live in a family home, but the right foster carer has not yet been found. This campaign is about reaching people who may have the stability, resilience and life experience to offer that home, then helping them understand the specialist support available around them.
“By combining Team Fostering’s expertise with Randstad’s recruitment reach, we can introduce this opportunity to people who may never previously have seen themselves as foster carers. The right match matters, and it can give a child the chance to feel safe, supported and part of a family.”
providing a bridge into family life.
Moving from residential care into a foster family is a significant change. It requires careful preparation, the right match and consistent support for both the young person and their foster carer.
Team Fostering’s Bridge to Belonging programme provides an enhanced one-year package of support for this transition. The programme was named by one of Team Fostering’s young people, who described it as the “bridge” they needed to live with a family.
Support begins before a placement is made, with Team Fostering assessing readiness, preparing carers and learning about the young person’s experiences, relationships and individual needs.
Young people are closely involved in the matching process. Introductions are carefully planned with their residential carers and other important adults, allowing relationships and trust to develop before the move takes place. Tailored support then continues throughout the transition, the settling-in period and the first year together.
Liam Phillips, Director of Business Operations at Team Fostering, said:
“We’re seeing an increasing amount of young people who are in residential care due to a lack of foster carers. Bridge to Belonging is all about providing those children with a smooth transition back into a family home, with enhanced support for both them and their carers.
“Working with Randstad is a great opportunity to raise awareness of this type of fostering with people who have the skills and experience we’re looking for in our foster carers. If you’re caring and resilient, know how to champion a young person and can find humour and fun amongst more challenging situations, you could be the person to change a child’s life and we’d love to hear from you.”
specialist support for foster families.
Carers receive 24/7 support, a dedicated supervising social worker, psychological and educational support, peer mentoring and access to regular support groups.
The package also includes specialist training in attachment and trauma-informed practice, alongside 21 nights of planned short-break care. This gives carers time to rest and recharge while ensuring the young person continues to receive appropriate care and support.
Team Fostering is an independent, not-for-profit fostering agency. With no shareholders, surplus funds are reinvested into supporting foster families, children and young people. This includes training, education support, activities, holidays and services designed to promote stability and wellbeing.
Richard Sutherland added:
“People considering fostering need an honest picture of the commitment involved, but they should also know that they will not be doing it alone. The training, professional support, planned breaks and financial package available through Team Fostering are all designed to give carers a strong foundation from which to support a young person.”
could fostering me your next step?
Team Fostering is looking for dependable, resilient people across Yorkshire and the East Midlands who can offer a child a stable family home.
Applicants must be over 21, have a spare bedroom, access to reliable transport and be available to meet the needs of a child requiring full-time care. Experience of supporting children or young people is valuable, but Team Fostering welcomes initial conversations with anyone interested in finding out whether they could be suitable.
To learn more about fostering with Team Fostering and register your interest, visit our Team Fostering page, or email fostering@randstad.co.uk now.