Types of Foster Care
Learn more about the different types of fostering
Therapeutic fostering
Therapeutic fostering supports children with trauma or complex needs. It requires patience, understanding, and extensive training, but the rewards are life-changing.
Parent and child fostering
"P&C" fostering involves a parent and child living with a foster family. It helps young parents without a stable home learn to care for their baby, with foster carers providing guidance and support.
Fostering Teenagers
Fostering teenagers brings unique challenges but also incredible rewards. By fostering teens, you’ll provide guidance and support to help them navigate their formative years towards a brighter future.
Respite fostering
Respite fostering is a great option if you can’t commit full-time but still want to help. These short-term placements give kids a safe home while their foster carers take a break. With a 14-day respite allowance for foster carers, respite carers are always in demand.
Short-Term Fostering
Short-term fostering provides children with a home from a few days to several months. It’s a temporary arrangement that gives kids safety while plans are made for their long-term future, like returning to their birth family or moving to a permanent placement.
Emergency Fostering
When kids need a safe place in a hurry, emergency fostering steps in. These placements happen with little warning and are usually short-term, sometimes just for a night.
Long-Term Fostering
Long-term fostering is all about giving a child a safe, stable home until they grow up. It’s the best option when they can’t go back to their birth family and adoption isn’t the right fit.
Fostering Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC)
Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children arrive in the UK alone, often after harrowing journeys. Foster families provide them with acceptance and stability as they adapt to a new life.
Fostering Siblings
Keeping brothers and sisters together can mean the world to kids in care. By fostering siblings, you’re giving them a chance to stick together, stay connected, and feel safe in a loving home.
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that fostering can be a demanding full-time commitment. That’s why we make sure that we look after our carers to recognise the incredible work that you do and enable you to provide the best care possible.
We offer a competitive rate that covers essentials like food, clothing, and household bills to meet the child’s needs, as well as additional expenses for any special requirements they might have. Alongside your financial allowance, you’ll have access to regular training and round-the-clock support from our team to help you feel confident and prepared.
If you’d like to learn more about how your allowances and benefits are calculated, we’re always here to talk it through!
We prioritise the training and development of our foster carers to ensure they provide the best care possible. All carers complete the mandatory 'Training, Support and Development Standards' course within their first 12 months, supported by their supervising social worker.
We also offer a range of regularly updated courses, including child protection, safe caring, managing behaviour, and first aid, among others, to improve your skills. For some foster carers, such as those doing therapeutic fostering, further training will be required.
If applications don’t work out, it can be for a few reasons. Things like a history of serious criminal offences, a home that’s not suitable for a child, or health challenges that make caregiving difficult might raise concerns. If you’re not upfront and honest during the process, or you don’t complete the required training, it could also affect your chances. If your application is rejected, that doesn’t mean it has to be the end of the road - we can give you advice on what to improve so you can reapply in the future.
Yes, foster carers are entitled to breaks! We offer a 14-day respite allowance to give you time to rest and recharge. We’ll arrange for another approved carer to look after your foster child during your break.
Some carers also include foster children in their family holidays, which can be a wonderful experience for everyone involved. We’ll work with you to plan breaks that best suit your needs and the child’s well-being.
Want to know more? Check out the resources below
Still have questions about fostering?
Choose a date and time on the calendar below, and one of our fostering advisors will give you a call to discuss any questions you might have.