One in three foster carers investigated

More than a third of foster carers have faced abuse allegations and one in 10 inquiries last longer than a year, research has found.

Nearly half of carers had their fostering payments stopped during investigations even though most cases were likely to be unsubstantiated, said the Fostering Network.

Its survey of 1,000 foster carers also found that nearly a third of carers had fostered children removed during the time of an allegation.

The charity’s chief executive, Robert Tapsfield, said the investigations were “far too slow”.

● Allegations in Foster Care