What is fostering?
Find out everything you need to know about fostering
Foster Care Explained
Fostering is a lifeline for over 57,000 children in the UK. It gives them a safe and loving place to call home when their own birth family isn’t able to. But it’s more than just putting a roof over their head. It gives them a supportive environment that shows they are important and cared for and gives them the space to fulfil their potential.
Children are taken into care when their local authority becomes responsible for their wellbeing. This is usually when they’ve decided that their current home isn’t a safe place or the parent just needs a little time to get back on their feet. The length of care can vary depending on circumstances, with some children only needing short-term care and other children needing longer-term care.
Depending on your circumstances and availability, you can decide to foster for just a few nights, months, or even years. Whatever you choose, you’ll be making a real difference during some of the hardest moments in a child’s life.
What’s the difference between fostering and adoption?
If you’ve been looking into fostering, you might be wondering, “How is fostering different from adoption?” While both involve giving children a home, they’re actually quite different in what they mean for you and the child.
Adoption is a forever arrangement. An adopted child becomes a permanent part of your family, just like if they were born to you. You take on all the legal rights and responsibilities for them for life.
Fostering is more like being a helping hand for a while. It’s usually temporary, giving a child a safe place to stay while plans are made for their long-term future. The local authority or birth family keeps legal responsibility for the child, so you can give them a home without the long-term commitment of adoption.
Both are beautiful ways to make a difference; it’s just about what feels right for you.
What do Foster Carers do?
The main role of any foster carer is simple: to care for a child or young person. But what does foster care really involve? It involves everything from supporting their educational needs to looking after their physical and emotional needs.
Below is an overview of what to expect as a foster carer.
What To Expect As a Foster Carer
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Provide a loving home, giving a child a safe place they can call their own.
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Be their rock by helping them feel cared for and understood as they settle in.
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Ensure they attend school and encourage their learning and growth.
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Arrange medical appointments and look after their health.
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Be patient, kind, and ready to handle tricky behaviour with care and understanding.
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Help them stay connected with their birth family where possible.
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Be part of the community, work with social workers, go to meetings, and keep track of their progress.
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Join training sessions to grow as a foster carer and be the best you can be!
The Different Types of Foster Care
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
Teen fostering involves providing a safe and stable environment for an older child or teenager. You’ll provide guidance and support to help them through one of the most formative periods in their life.
Respite Fostering
Respite fostering provides temporary relief for birth families when they need it. It involves caring for a child or teenager for a short period of time, giving the carers a short break and a chance to recharge.
Short-Term Fostering
Short-term fostering provides children with a home for a few days to several months. It’s a temporary arrangement that gives kids safety while plans are made for their long-term future.
Emergency Fostering
Emergency fostering provides a safe place for kids who need it in a hurry. 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 provide stability in a life that is often lacking it. By fostering siblings, you’re giving them a chance to stick together, stay connected, and feel safe in a loving home.
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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.
The process starts when you get in touch for a chat to learn more about fostering and see if it’s right for you. Next, we’ll visit your home to ensure it’s safe and suitable, followed by filling out an application form and completing checks like a DBS. You’ll then attend training sessions to prepare for fostering. Finally, you’ll meet with a fostering panel, and once approved, you’re ready to welcome a child into your home!
You need to be at least 21 years old to foster. However, there’s no upper age limit; as long as you’re healthy and able to meet the needs of a child, fostering could be perfect for you!
No formal qualifications are required to become a foster carer. What matters most is having the time, patience, and dedication to care for a child. We offer full training to prepare you for the role and develop the skills you’ll need.
Fostering is open to people from all walks of life. As long as you are at least 21 years old, a UK resident, in good physical and mental health, and have a safe, clean, and comfortable living space with a spare bedroom for the foster child, you could be the perfect fit. If you’re unsure, we’re always here to chat and answer any questions!
Why do I need to foster?
*Correct as of 31st March 2022
57,540 children were living with foster families.
70% of the 82,170 children in care were looked after away from home.