Country needs 450 more fosterers

More than 4,000 children in Scotland live with foster families on any one day

At least 450 new foster carers must be recruited in Scotland over the next year to provide stable homes for children in care, a charity has said.

The Fostering Network said a shortfall meant children were being placed far away from their families, split up from siblings and being moved frequently.

The body has launched Foster Care Fortnight, aims to raise awareness of the issue.

Scots ministers said they were taking action to encourage people to foster.

The figure of 450 was reached after local authorities were surveyed on their foster carer recruitment targets for the next 12 months.

The number was calculated on the basis of the 21 councils - 66% of the total - which responded.

'Denied stability'

Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the network, said: "Without these much-needed new foster carers, too many fostered children will continue to be denied stability in their home and school life, which is key to success later on."

Each fostered child should be able to live with a foster carer carefully chosen to match their specific needs in terms of location, lifestyle, language and culture.

The wider the pool of foster carers available, the more likely it is that a good match can be found.

More than 4,000 children live with 3,200 foster families in Scotland on any one day, with many more moving in and out of foster homes over the year.

Children's minister Adam Ingram said foster carers were often seen as a source of calm in the often turbulent lives of vulnerable youngsters.

"We want to encourage more people to consider fostering and I know how great the responsibility is that these carers take on," he said.

"As fostering fortnight begins I want to highlight the contribution that foster carers make and also how rewarding the role can be."

Foster Care Fortnight runs from May 12-25.