Niki Marangos, Foster carer, north London
Foster carers have expressed anger and frustration after a UK government representative told a court that their role is little more than “welcoming children into our homes, cooking dinner, and watching TV on the sofa with them.”
“This is outrageous and insulting,” said one foster carer. “It completely misrepresents what we do. Fostering is not a casual evening on the sofa, it’s 24/7 trauma-informed, trauma-responsive care for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and loss. Reducing our work to cooking and TV is deeply wrong.”
Foster carers provide care because they genuinely care, often at personal cost, sleepless nights, emotional strain, managing crises, and financial challenges. They should have the same rights and protections as other professional carers.
The comment was made during the employment tribunal hearing in the landmark case – Oni and Others v London Borough of Waltham Forest and Others – which could leapfrog directly to the Supreme Court. The case brought by the National Union of Professional Foster Carers (NUPFC) argues that foster carers should be legally recognised as workers, giving them protections, such as minimum wage, holiday pay, and rights like whistleblowing and against discrimination. The Labour government is disgracefully trying to block this.
Martina, a foster carer involved in the case, said: “We do this work because we care. But caring does not mean being left unprotected or disrespected. This portrayal is outrageous.” Failing to recognise foster carers as workers risks burnout, and instability for children in care.
FosterWiki survey (2023):
- 76% of carers report declining mental health, due to the demands of fostering
- 63% experience financial hardship
- 82% felt undervalued
- Nearly 70% warned that fostering is becoming unsustainable without urgent reform
