Children & Young People Now reports that The Fostering Network is urging the UK government to prioritise all foster carers for Pfizer jab amid fears over a shortage of sufficiency of foster carers due to the pandemic.
In phase one of the vaccination programme in the UK, everyone older than 50, as well as residents in care homes for older people and their carers are to be vaccinated. Foster carers are not included here, nor in the phase two of the vaccination programme and The Fostering Network is arguing they should be. Both foster carers and the children they care for have a higher risk of contracting the virus (they regularly meet with social workers and children regularly meet with their birth families).
There is a worry that concern about the virus may deter potential foster parents from fostering children now when their recruitment is vital.