
Last week, Richard attended an event in Parliament hosted by the IWGB Foster Care Workers Union, which brought together foster carers to share their experiences of the foster care system.
Richard Fuller MP said:
It was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from foster carers and learn more about the vital work they do, the challenges they face, and the changes they believe are needed to make the system fairer and more effective.
Foster carers play a vital role in providing essential care and support to some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our communities. Yet it was clear from our conversations that they are too often unsupported. Many foster carers are classified as ‘independent contractors’, leaving them without basic employment rights such as sick pay, holiday entitlement, or whistleblower protections.
We discussed how the current system can be improved, not only to better support foster carers, but to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children and young people in their care.