THE FOSTERING NETWORK
Registered charity 280852 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as FOSTERING NETWORK, NATIONAL FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATION, THE FOSTERING NETWORK TFN · also registered in Scotland as SC039338 (OSCR)
These are membership services, policy and practice, publishing and training, advice & mediation work, information services and consultancy and projects.
Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity reported a healthy surplus of £1,391k for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total unrestricted funds increasing to £4,334k. However, the trustees note that free reserves of £277k remain below the stated policy target of £1,631k, which represents three months of unrestricted expenditure. The charity maintains a healthy cash balance of £1,858k and asserts there are no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure (held: £277k)
“We have now set the aim to have free reserves, that is funds that are not tied up in fixed assets or restricted funds, at least equal to three months of our unrestricted expenditure. This would mean that we have the liquid assets to pay our running costs for three months in the event that our income ceased.”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: The Fostering Network procured professional services from Bates Wells, for the sum of £13,255. One of the Trustees, Paul Seath, is a partner at Bates Wells, but is not involved in their work for The Fostering Network, and is prevented from knowing about it by an information barrier. He has included this in his declaration of interest. At the end of the year, £3,688 was owed to Bates Wells.
“During the year, The Fostering Network procured professional services from Bates Wells, for the sum of £13,255. One of the Trustees, Paul Seath, is a partner at Bates Wells, but is not involved in their work for The Fostering Network, and is prevented from knowing about it by an information barrier. He has included this in his declaration of interest. At the end of the year, £3,688 was owed to Bates Wells.” — page 42
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: National Foster Care Association Services Ltd
“The Fostering Network owns the whole of the issued ordinary share capital of National Foster Care Association Services Ltd, a company registered in England. The subsidiary was dormant in the year.” — page 43
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Sayer Vincent LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.
Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — The Fostering Network (matched by registered charity number).
Property (HM Land Registry)
1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (1 freehold); recorded price paid £400k. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£99k
Reported reserves equal ~0.4 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (96% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 1.1% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Christopher Pope
- Frank Harasiwka
- Ishara Tewary
- Jonathan Walsh · trustee of 1 other charity
- Kate Brash
- Lyssa Elster
- Marianne Cwynarski CBE
- Matthew Michael Page
- Paul Seath
- Rhys David Pearce
- Sarah Louise Allkins
- Stuart Lewis
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: Northern Ireland · Scotland
Income and spending
Common questions
Is THE FOSTERING NETWORK financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a healthy surplus of £1,391k for the year ended 31 March 2025, with total unrestricted funds increasing to £4,334k. However, the trustees note that free reserves of £277k remain below the stated policy target of £1,631k, which represents three months of unrestricted expenditure. The charity maintains a healthy cash balance of £1,858k and asserts there are no material uncertainties regarding its ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Sayer Vincent LLP.
Who funds THE FOSTERING NETWORK?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE FOSTERING NETWORK as a grant recipient include THE FIDELITY UK FOUNDATION, THE KPMG FOUNDATION, THE HARRISON-FRANK FAMILY FOUNDATION (UK) LIMITED.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
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Side by side with its peers
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