More than 4,000 new foster carers must be recruited in England during the next year to stop children being shunted from home to home, a charity has warned.

Fostering Network has collated figures from local authorities which reveal the shortfall.

The lack of carers means children can be placed a long distance from their parents' home, siblings may have to be split up, and youngsters may be moved from home to home.

It is estimated 4,230 new carers are needed in the coming year alone.

The wider a pool of carers available, the better a match can be found for each child, the charity says.

The figures have been released to coincide with Fostering Network's annual awareness campaign, Foster Care Fortnight, which begins today.

Chief executive Robert Tapsfield said: "Without these much-needed new foster carers, too many fostered children will continue to be denied stability in their home and school life, which is key to success later on."

More than 42,000 children in England live with a foster family.