Sarah Anderson
Early Life
Sarah Anderson was born in 1958, in Putney, London,
Sarah’s parents were prominent entrepreneurs in the London art world, serving clients such as the Tate, Tate Britain, V&A, Smithsonian, the Louvre, Buckingham Palace, and notable international artists. In 1973, they received the Duke of Edinburgh’s Design Award.
Sarah was educated at Lady Margaret School, Parsons Green, the London College of Printing, and the Bath Academy of Art.
She then joined the family business but changed her career direction in 2002. Sarah earned a degree in counselling psychotherapy from Roehampton University and subsequently worked in the NHS, specialising in adolescent mental health.
In 2008, after working with looked-after children in the NHS, she embarked on a 15-year foster carer career, specialising in adolescence, including managing multiple placement breakdowns, step-downs from residential care, adoption breakdowns, and young people’s mental health. This move into foster care led her to advocate for foster carer’s rights and status.
Sarah is married, has a daughter, and lives in Hampshire.
Foster Carer Advocacy
After serving on the committee of her in-house fostering association, Sarah recognised the need for more robust, independent representation for foster carers.
In 2016, she joined a small independent union and chaired the newly established foster carer’s branch. During her three-year tenure, she developed it into the union’s largest branch. Sarah ultimately left the union due to dissatisfaction with its political direction and internal divisions, and the belief that the unique nature of foster care required dedicated representation.
Sarah continued to develop services for foster carers, leading to the landmark ruling in NUPFC v The Certification Office at the Court of Appeal in the spring of 2021. Since then, she has served as a special advisor to the National Union of Professional Foster Carers.
FosterWiki
In 2020, Sarah launched FosterWiki.com, which has become the premier source of information, guidance, and support for foster carers and the broader industry. The platform, built on real-life, frontline practice, is renowned for its straightforward, accessible information and comprehensive resources, including toolkits, templates, articles, news updates, newsletters, and a first-class 365-day helpline.
The FosterWiki Support Services were developed to support foster carers, positively impacting retention, recruitment, and placement stability, leading to better outcomes for children and providing foster carers with respect, recognition, and the necessary tools for success.
National Foster Carers Qualifications
In 2023, alongside co-founder Karl Pizzey, Sarah launched The National Foster Carers Qualifications. This initiative, driven by her long-held passion and supported by extensive empirical evidence, aims to provide foster carers with an accredited qualification pathway to enhance and improve outcomes for children and stable nurturing homes.
NFCQ Integrated Assessment Process
In 2023, the NFCQ introduced the modernised NFCQ Integrated Assessment Process (IAP). This development was based on extensive research, statistics, and feedback gathered on the existing Form F.
The data indicated that the Form F was inadequate in producing qualified foster carers, effectively converting inquiries to approvals, and ensuring the stable, loving, skilled foster homes and positive outcomes that children deserve.
Recent Achievements
In 2024, FosterWiki conducted the largest independent survey of foster carers to date and released the FosterWiki Manifesto, a 10-point reform agenda based on empirical evidence from the survey.
Sarah continues to work with the government and industry stakeholders to implement these reforms and remains a leading figure in foster care, dedicated to improving the lives of foster carers and the children they support.
Work
- Founded FosterWiki in 2021.
- Conducted the 2024 Independent Foster Carer's Survey and produced its report.
- Published the 2024 FosterWiki Manifesto: A 10-Point Reform Agenda.
- Co-founded the National Foster Carer’s Qualifications (NFCQ) in 2023.
- Launched the NFCQ Integrated Assessment Process.
- Collaborating with the Department for Education (ongoing).
- Launched Noah’s Campaign in Parliament, sponsored by Caroline Nokes MP, November 2023.
- Conducted the 2022 independent survey on the impact of the cost of living crisis on foster carers and produced its report.
- Delivered the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on foster carers in 2018.
- Worked with the Children’s Minister in 2020 to address the impact of lockdowns on children in care and foster carers.
- Appeared in national media, including BBC, ITV, Channels 4 & 5, BBC Newsnight, Victoria Derbyshire, TalkTV, and The Times.
- Featured on Radio 4's Today Programme and Jeremy Vine on Radio 2.
- Engaged with regional media, including BBC regional stations and local radio.
- Published articles in The Guardian and Community Care.
- Served as Special Advisor to the National Union of Professional Foster Carers (NUPFC).
- Acted as a witness and intervenor in NUPFC v Certification Officer.
