There are many different types of fostering and we’re happy to discuss with you which may be the best for you, why not have a read and then book on to our ‘You Can Foster’ information event to find out more.
Short-term fostering
Emergency
Being an emergency foster carer can be very rewarding. There are infants, children and teenagers all living locally who have a genuine and urgent need to be cared for away from their own homes for a short time. Individuals able to offer emergency care would need previous experience of working with children or young people and have no children of their own under the age of 16 living at home. One carer also needs to be home-based.
Short breaks (Respite)
Respite care is a short-term placement where a child or young person is placed with a foster family to allow the child’s carers’ time to recharge their batteries so that they can continue to care for their child. This can be a regular, planned arrangement where a child is cared for on a regular basis as part of a support plan, or a one-off period of care if a foster carer is unwell or taking a pre-planned break.
Task-centred (short term)
Task-centred fostering is used to focus on a particular task for a child. This can involve looking after a child or young person whilst family difficulties are resolved so they may return home, or decisions are made about their long-term future care and a permanent or adoptive family is identified.
Placements may be from two days to two years, and the ages of the children and young people placed range from birth to 18 years.
Parent and child
Parent and child fostering is a specialist type of fostering which is sometimes required in order to decide if a parent can provide a good level of care to their child. This is where either a mother or father (sometimes both), will come and live with you with their young child at a time when they need extra help and support. The parent will need your guidance, skills and experience to help develop their parenting skills and understanding of what a child needs. You will care for, support and empower them to develop their confidence, parenting skills and to make positive decisions about their child’s wellbeing.
Long-term fostering (permanence)
Some children are not able to return to their birth parents or wider family because it would not be safe for them to do so. We strongly believe that permanent foster carers should be identified for these children where they can remain until they reach adulthood and beyond. Permanent fostering requires a high level of commitment because the child may have experienced many moves, abuse or neglect before the decision to find a permanent placement is made.
In addition to the preparation course which all prospective foster carers attend, long-term foster carers get an additional one day course to help prepare them for the role of looking after a child or young person on a long-term basis. All long-term foster carers are provided with 14 nights respite per year unless care plans recognise that additional periods are required.