Using census data Peter Siminski, Jenny Chalmers and Marilyn McHugh find that foster carers are most likely to be women aged 35-54 years who are not in the labour force. Of the various family types (adjusted for age), couples with birth children are least likely to foster. Couples with birth children account for two-fifths of all carers. Higher rates of fostering were found in relatively disadvantaged areas. Projected increases in female labour force participation are expected to contribute to a decline (or to slower growth) in the number of foster carers over the next decade.