Apex Fostering Named Finalist for National Award Celebrating Child-Led Care
- Apex Fostering
- Aug 14
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 18
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Essex, UK — August 2025
Apex Fostering has been shortlisted for the prestigious Children in Care Award at the 2025 Children & Young People Now Awards for its important Not Just Heard — Empowered approach, which puts looked-after children at the heart of every decision.
In a sector where young people are often consulted but rarely empowered, Apex Fostering has redefined what child participation means — transforming child-led values into a lived reality. Over the past 18 months, the agency has embedded a model where children are not “cases to be managed” but co-creators of their own care journeys.
Standout child-led initiatives include:
Young people chairing their own local authority reviews and setting the agenda.
Children choosing the questions asked to prospective foster carers.
A care experienced young person sitting on Apex’s fostering panel, influencing every carer approval.
Personalised welcome boxes designed around each child’s interests.
Animated welcome videos replacing traditional leaflets, based on feedback from children under 8 and those with additional needs.
Youth-led research and the upcoming launch of a quarterly bulletin by and for young people in care.
“Our young people don’t just have a seat at the table — they help set the table,” said Sali Walker, Founder of Apex Fostering. “From choosing the carers who will welcome them, to creating the resources that explain fostering, their voices shape every decision we make. This nomination is a celebration of our whole community, the courage and insight of our children, the dedication of our carers, and the relentless commitment of our staff to make fostering truly child-led.”
Between July 2024 and June 2025, Apex supported 64 children, 28 of them newly placed in carer homes, achieving a breakdown rate below 10%, significantly lower than the national average. The agency’s steady growth, values-led model prioritises emotional compatibility and long-term stability over speed or volume of children placed.
“This isn’t a side project — it’s how we operate,” added Louise Ridley, Registered Manager of Apex Fostering. “When children feel seen, safe, and significant, everything else follows: stronger matches, happier carers, and better outcomes.”
The winners of the 2025 Children & Young People Now Awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on Thursday 20 November.
About Apex Fostering
Founded in 2021, Apex Fostering provides safe, loving homes where children can thrive. Built on lived experience as both carers and care-experienced individuals, the agency is committed to ethical, child-centred fostering that empowers young people to shape their own futures.
At Apex, we believe every voice matters in the fostering journey.
Want to find out more about fostering with Apex? We’re here to talk, answer your questions, and support you every step of the way.
Let’s have a conversation. You might just change a life – including your own.
Press Contact:
Sofie Fyrand
Creative & Marketing Manager
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