About fostering

What is fostering?

Fostering involves creating a safe and nurturing environment for vulnerable babies, children, and teenagers who can't stay with their own families. This support can range from short to longer-term placements. Various forms of fostering exist.

In the UK, a child enters care every 20 minutes, frequently stemming from difficult situations involving abuse, neglect, family health issues, relationship breakdowns, or unaccompanied and sperated children.

Types of fostering

Short-term placement:

This is when foster carers look after a child for short periods that can range from 2 weeks to 2 years. These placements usually occur whilst the local authority is working with the birth family to help a child return home, or identify a long term placement for the child.

Long-term placement:

If a child or young person is unable to return to their birth family, a long term placement is put in place with a foster carer to look after the child until they are 18 years old.

Parent and Child Fostering:

Parent and Child foster carers have a parent and child/children living with them in their home, generally for a structured 12 week period. These carers support and assess vulnerable parents and help them learn how to look after their child safely. You can find out more and see a short information video about the scheme here

Respite

A respite foster placement can offer support to a family at crisis point or to a foster carer who needs to have a break. Respite foster placements might be for a weekend or time during the holidays. Some respite placements can also be planned to be ongoing on a regular basis.

We also have schemes such as specialist teenage fostering and supported lodgings

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