Harrow Council has approved its continued membership in the Foster with West London Regional Fostering Hub, a move aimed at boosting the recruitment of foster carers and supporting children in care. The decision, made at a Portfolio Holder Decision Meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, aligns with the Department for Education's national initiative to increase the number of foster homes.
The Foster with West London hub, a collaboration between Harrow and seven other London boroughs, provides access to central government funding for a comprehensive, end-to-end foster carer recruitment programme. This initiative is crucial given a national shortage of foster carers, which has led to an increase in children being placed in residential care.
The hub's recruitment strategies include supporting the Mockingbird
model, which offers a network of foster households that provide mutual support, mimicking an extended family structure. The Department for Education (DfE) has mandated that regional hubs manage the entire foster carer recruitment process, from initial enquiry to approval and ongoing support. This sub-regionalised approach aims to increase enquiries and ensure prospective foster carers have a positive experience. Key DfE requirements for the hub's delivery include clear information, timely pipelines, strong decision-making, flexible marketing, and the adoption of best practices. It also mandates a single point of contact for enquiries, comprehensive data capture, and information sharing. A journey guide
will offer consistent support, training, and blended learning from enquiry to approval. Carer support networks will leverage existing resources, peer support models like Mockingbird, and formal buddying. Regional assessment will involve a centralised panel and shared Form F, with locally designed quality assurance. Regional data oversight will use dashboards to track volume, conversion rates, timescales, and retention. Post-approval support will include consistent regional training and supervision, integrated with local authority care planning.
According to a report presented to the council, the hub, launched in May 2024, has already seen a 37% rise in approved foster carers across the region, exceeding the Department for Education's target. Harrow has seen five new foster carers approved through the hub.
Meeting the unique needs of children in care requires a diverse range of fostering households capable of supporting children from 0-17 years, keeping sibling groups together, and enabling children to remain close to their schools, friends, and family networks. An Equality Impact Analysis will be conducted as the end-to-end model develops to ensure inclusive recruitment methods, diverse community engagement, and support for carers with differing needs.
Councillor Paul Osborn, Leader of the Council, agreed to the recommendations to continue Harrow's membership and delegate decision-making authority for the hub to the Strategic Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children's Services. The expanded end-to-end model is expected to commence in September 2026, with the Equality Impact Analysis to be conducted during 2026/27.
From 2027/28, Harrow Council, along with partner local authorities, will be expected to contribute between £230,000 and £240,000 per year to ensure the hub's self-sustainability. The report notes that this increased funding requirement may necessitate a restructuring of Harrow's Fostering Service, though the council's Families First
reforms are intended to enable service redesign and release funding. Partners have also expressed concerns about the scale and pace of change associated with the expansion to an end-to-end model.
The decision supports the council's priority of being A place where those in need are supported.
Further details on the meeting can be found in the Supplemental Agenda and the Public reports pack.
