Using strategic audience insights and tailored messaging to recruit foster carers in Devon
Freshwater is delivering a multi-channel marketing campaign for Devon County Council to recruit new foster carers, improve the quality of applications and create a sense of community and support for people considering fostering.
The campaign targets adults aged 28 to 60 living in Devon, while also reaching potential foster carers able to meet the diverse cultural, language and religious needs of children, including those from the LGBTQ+ community.
8.3 million impressions
and 81,000 clicks across all platforms
Google Search (PPC) achieved a click-through rate
of at least double the industry benchmark
Paid advertising has directly resulted in
over 225 contact interactions on the website
Brief
Devon County Council appointed Freshwater to develop and deliver a multi-channel campaign to recruit new foster carers. The objective was to improve the quality of applications being made, build a sense of community and support prospective foster carers from consideration through to application.
Alongside this, the campaign aimed to reach carers from a wide range of backgrounds who are able to support children with diverse cultural, language and religious needs, including those from the LGBTQ+ community.
Delivery
We began with a comprehensive audience insight exercise, identifying key ‘fuel’ and ‘friction’ factors affecting attitudes and behaviours towards fostering, which were mapped against capability, opportunity and motivation.
Among the main barriers were fears of being judged and concerns around being the right cultural fit. Our strategy addressed this by raising awareness of the types of people who can foster, demystifying the challenges and directly responding to common concerns.
We applied the EAST principles to shape messaging, creative and channel selection. Creative assets featured different family set-ups so they resonated with people from diverse backgrounds. For year three, the creative focused on messages from children in foster care to their foster carers, helping to humanise the campaign and strengthen emotional connection.
The channel plan prioritised digital advertising to maximise budget efficiency, with activity delivered in bursts around key calendar moments such as Foster Care Fortnight and LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week. Channels included Facebook, Instagram, Google Display Network, YouTube and PPC.
Results
As of February 2026, we have delivered 8.3 million impressions and 81,000 clicks across all platforms. Google Search (PPC) outperformed benchmarks, achieving a click-through rate of at least double the industry benchmark and generating the highest levels of traffic and conversions across paid activity. Fostering Devon ranked first for Impression Share compared with competitors and placed first for Absolute Top of Page Rate. Engagement with adverts was consistently positive, with over 95% of reactions recorded as ‘like’ or ‘love’.