Scotland is facing an emergency in foster care, with Barnardo’s warning that a shortage of carers is leaving hundreds of children without the safe and loving homes they need.

The charity has backed an extraordinary joint warning from chief social work officers across all 32 Scottish local authorities that there is an acute shortage of suitable homes and carers for children unable to remain with their families.

Barnardo’s says the capacity of Scotland’s care system is now saturated.

The pressure has become so severe that in some parts of the country social workers have reportedly had to take children home with them because no other safe option was available.

For Barnardo’s Scotland, the crisis has been building for years.

Michele Janes, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said:

“Back in May 2024, my predecessor, Martin Crewe, uttered the following six words: ‘Fostering in Scotland is in crisis.’

“Worryingly, that assertion has now been backed up by Scotland’s chief social work officers.

“While the statement made for shocking reading, much of its content did not come as a surprise to our fostering teams across Scotland.

“We recognise the statement that the capacity of the care system is saturated, and it is staggering to learn that, in some parts of the country, social workers have had to take children home with them as no other safe options are available.

“A shortage of foster carers leaves hundreds of children without a safe and loving home, and that is something we work every day to address.

“We strongly believe that any loving person can make a wonderful foster parent to a child in need, and we would urge people to consider fostering with us today.”

Barnardo’s has more than 80 years of experience placing children and young people with families and is appealing for more people across Scotland to consider becoming foster carers.

Carers receive training, support from social work teams, out of hours advice, support groups and help matching children with suitable families.

But the charity is clear that recruiting more foster carers cannot solve the emergency on its own.

Existing carers also need support to continue fostering, while wider family support and a broader range of care options will be required.

Janes added:

“But this challenge will not be solved through foster carer recruitment alone.

“A sustainable response must also attract support existing carers to stay, strengthen the networks around them and invest in a broader range of care and support.

“We urge the Scottish Government to prioritise more support for foster carers across Scotland, and to continue investment in whole-family support.

“As MSPs embark on the first year of this new Parliament after their return from summer recess, and as we prepare to consider the forthcoming Programme for Government, we urge every party to recommit to delivery of The Promise and to give the ongoing crisis in children’s care the serious attention that it demands.”

Barnardo’s is also supporting alternatives including the Mockingbird model, introduced in Scotland with The Fostering Network in 2021.

It creates groups of fostering households around an experienced carer’s hub home, attempting to recreate some of the relationships and practical support available within an extended family.

Barnardo’s wants models like Mockingbird developed more widely.

The immediate problem, however, is stark.

All 32 Scottish local authorities are warning about the availability of care for children who cannot safely remain with their families.

When a system reaches the point where social workers can be left with nowhere appropriate to take a child, describing it as an emergency is no exaggeration.

For more information on becoming a foster carer with Barnardo’s in Scotland, please visit www.barnardos.org.uk/foster, or call 0800 0277 280.

The charity’s lines are open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.