North East Lincolnshire Council first in England to launch innovative Care Friends app to drive foster carer recruitment

The new app uses a points-based referral system to recruit more foster carers. This initiative is part of an ongoing campaign that has already seen significant milestones, including the launch of the Foster Friendly business scheme, which now boasts over 130 participating businesses, and a star-studded advert directed by international film director Jack Spring, featuring actor Tommy Turgoose.

The app is currently being piloted by Foster Wales for the same purpose but has been used since 2020 for care worker recruitment and has seen overwhelmingly positive results. Developed by Neil Eastwood, CEO and Founder, the Care Friends app addresses the recruitment and retention crisis in Adult Social Care by making referrals easy, fun, and rewarding. The app has generated 250,000 high-quality candidates through word-of-mouth referrals and is currently used by 2,500 care settings across the UK, Ireland, and Australia. The company received the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation in 2023.

Research suggests that word-of-mouth is the most effective method for recruiting foster carers, as current carers are best positioned to identify suitable candidates. The app places foster carers at the forefront of recruitment, adding value to their contributions and support.

Following the success in Wales, 27 Local Authorities in England have confirmed plans to adopt the app in 2025, with discussions ongoing with an additional 60 authorities.

Margaret Cracknell, Portfolio Holder for Children and Education at North East Lincolnshire Council said of the launch:

"We are incredibly proud to be the first authority in England to launch this innovative app for foster carer recruitment.

“This pioneering approach underscores our commitment to ensuring that local children can remain within our community, supported by dedicated foster carers.

“By placing foster carers at the heart of the recruitment process, we are not only enhancing our efforts but also recognising the invaluable contributions they make every day.”

Neil Eastwood, CEO and Founder of the Care Friends App said: “We are delighted to be partnering with North East Lincolnshire Council in the first English deployment of our app in foster care. As soon as they learned of the pilot results emerging from foster carers in Wales they were confident it would boost their commitment to providing loving families locally for every local child in care who needs them. We can’t wait to see the impact once the app is rolled out across the authority’s foster carer community.”