Twelve local authorities in the North East have pooled together to launch a new join website, Foster with North East, which aims to boost fostering in the region. The intuitive, easy-to-use website, which was set up in September 2023 and is the first of its kind, makes it easy for interested foster carers to find out more about fostering and local fostering events and complete a simple enquiry form. The collaborative regional approach sees local authorities joining together to drive foster carer recruitment and chimes with the recommendations of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care to take a regional approach to placement sufficiency. It follows the rising number of children entering care, with the North East the region seeing the most children referred into foster care. The initiative also involves rolling out a specialist joint support hub for foster carers, improved training and the development of a buddy system offering support to foster carers at all stages of their fostering journey.