‭The Fostering Network has launched its biennial survey of foster carers: The State of the Nation's Foster Care 2018 survey. It is the largest snapshot of the views of foster carers across the UK that there is. The survey enables The Fostering Network to really find out what foster carers think about a range of fostering issues (such as foster carer ‭finance, status and authority and allegation support), ‭as well as allowing the organisation to track progress or changes in attitudes since the last survey. It is also central to the charity's policy work and campaigning to make foster care the very best it can be.

Kate Lawson, policy manager at The Fostering Network, said: 'This survey is crucial to my work, as well as to that of my campaigns colleagues, because the findings of the survey will form the basis of our policy and campaigning work over the coming couple of years. 

'In 2016 over 2,500 foster carers took part in our survey. This made it by far the most comprehensive survey of ‭foster carers’ views in the UK. We turned the findings ‭of the survey into a detailed report which we have used ‭to successfully influence decision makers in every country ‭of the UK. ‭We have used the State of the Nation survey results ‭as the basis for all our consultation responses and ‭influencing work across the four nations over the past two ‭years. And it really does make a difference to fostering.

'I would encourage all foster carers to take the survey because the higher the response rate the more accurately we will be able to represent foster carers’ views and the louder our voice will be when we campaign on the issues ‭that the survey raises.'

The survey closes on 31 August 2018 – to take part, and ‭to be in with two chances of winning £25 worth of high ‭street vouchers, visit thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/sotn.