THE number of foster carers in Dorset has increased during the year – helped by a 25% rise in fees.

The county now has 187 foster carers – up from 169 on the same time a year ago, but councillors have been told that even more are needed.

Dorset Council says it has also increased the level of support for those who are caring for the county's children, with five foster carer-led Mockingbird support groups already up and running, one more due to launch soon, and three more by 2025.

A recent award ceremony saw 39 foster carers recognised for their service, including one with 51 years – the group between them having provided 695 years of foster care.

Children's services and education portfolio holder, Cllr Clare Sutton (Green, Rodwell & Wyke), corporate parenting meeting that she welcome the growth in 'kinship' fostering where children needing to be in care, but unable to stay with their parents, were fostered by close relatives, maintaining family connections.

Dorset Council says it would like to see an ongoing expansion in foster carers. helping to keep the county's children and young people in foster care close to home. In recent years an increasing number have been looked after out of county largely because of a lack of local foster carers, although the figures not being cared for within Dorset has started to decline.

The meeting heard that Dorset Council is being recognised for its pilot work with the national Pathfinder project, finding new ways of supporting children and families.

Executive director for children's services. Theresa Leavy, said that funding for that work was due to end in 2015 and the council would be lobbying the new government for continued funding, some of the money helping to support kinship caring.