Types of Fostering
To meet the diverse needs of children in foster care, we provide a variety of foster care placements.
Foster care is required for a variety of reasons and for varying periods of time. Some require long-term care, while others only require assistance for a few days or weeks – or even just overnight. Then there are the various types of children, each with their own set of challenges. Taking care of a teenager, for example, is not the same as taking care of a much younger child. All of this means that there are many different ways to foster, giving you more options and even a chance to specialise over time.
EMERGENCY FOSTERING
Emergency fostering is needed when a child's circumstances change dramatically, such as because of family breakdown, violence, parental illness, or police trouble.
Emergency foster care provides a safe haven for a vulnerable child or young person until they can return home or until a longer-term plan is in place. It usually only lasts a night or two, but it can sometimes last a few weeks or even longer.
When a child is removed from their home in an emergency, local authorities will find a suitable foster parent who is willing to care for them, often on short notice and at night or on weekends. As a result, emergency foster care specialists are on call 24/7 and will see a large number of children in a short period of time.
Short term or Task Centred Placements –
Short-term fostering means you're caring for a child for any time between 1 day and 2 years, and it's the most common form of fostering.
Short-term fostering gives children who are going through a difficult time a safe and stable home environment, allowing them to maintain a normal life – such as going to school and having fun, as well as keeping in touch with their birth parents (or their new family if they are being adopted).
Respite Placements
When foster parents need a break from their role to rest and unwind, we call this Respite This is beneficial to everyone, but especially to those who care for children who have disabilities, behavioural issues, or special educational needs.
Respite fostering gives foster parents (and sometimes birth parents) a well-deserved break, especially if they are caring for children or young people with special needs or disabilities. It can be a one-time or a regularly scheduled placement, depending on the child's needs and their care plan.
Specialist Placements
A specialist placement is for young people who have been through trauma, abuse, and neglect, as well as frequent placement breakdowns. Foster parents who choose a specialist placement will collaborate closely with professionals to ensure that the child and the foster carer are equally supported throughout the placement.
Remand Fostering
While a young person is at risk of being put in stable housing or in jail, they may need short-term fostering. A foster carer will be required to provide emotional and behavioural support to a young person in order to determine and change their offending behaviour. These Placements for experienced foster carers
Parent and child placements
Fostering a vulnerable parent and their child is all about assisting them in gaining the confidence and skills they need to provide appropriate care for their child while also assisting local authorities in assessing their ability to parent.
These programmes are designed to assist parents who need assistance learning how to care for their infants. Foster parents will be expected to work with a team of professionals to assess and support the parent's ability to care for the child.
