While adoption is the right option for a minority of children in public care, it is simply not true that 'to be adopted has to be preferable, as the child has a better chance to receive security and love'. In fact, the best home for each child who cannot live with their own family must be determined on the basis of their specific individual needs.
The vast majority of the children in public care in the UK live with foster carers or in residential homes on a temporary basis, and will move back with their own families at some stage. They do not need a new family, but rather they need to be given the highest standards of care until such time as they can return home. For most children, this means living with one of the 37,000 professional and dedicated foster carers in the UK.
In contrast to Ms Seabrook's suggestion, 'fighting for the child' is exactly what these carers do best, and for this they receive precious little support, pay and thanks. Misconceptions such as those expressed in the feature do nothing to make their task any easier.
Gerri McAndrew, Executive director, The Fostering Network.
