Long-term fostering
Most children and young people who are fostered will return to their birth families.
However, if this is not possible then we must consider the best way for them to have a permanent family.
Long-term fostering is where a child or young person who cannot return home lives with the same foster carer until they are older and are ready to live on their own.
Long-term foster carers are desperately needed for children aged five to 10 years old who are in care.
Respite and short term fostering
Respite and short break fostering is caring for a child or young person on a time limited basis. This can be overnight, a weekend or a week or two at a time. Often this can be the same child or young person at regular intervals.
Respite and short break placements are a great source of support for other foster carers and family members, and the child also benefits from a change in routine.
Emergency fostering
Emergency fostering provides a child with a place to go immediately, no matter what hour of a day or night, when it is essential to remove a child from a particular situation.
Short-break fostering
Short-break carers look after children for a few days or weeks in order to help them remain at home with their families, or give their usual foster carer a break from caring.
Parent and baby fostering
Parent and baby fostering is where a parent and their young child live with a foster family.
Our parent and baby foster carers support the young parent to develop the maturity and skills they need to look after their baby, helping to build their confidence and hopefully become good parents and live independently.
One2One fostering
One2One foster placements are therapeutic placements for young people who are usually aged between 10 and 18.
One2One fostering provides a young person with a supportive family where they can build a trusting relationship with a foster carer whilst they receive therapy to help them to overcome traumatic experiences.
The nature of these placements attract higher rates of pay in recognition of your hard work and dedication to One2One care.
Family and friends care
Family and friends play a unique role in enabling children and young people to remain with people who they know and trust if they cannot, for whatever reason, live with their parents.
Many children who live in family and friends care do well in life, but others need help and support to do the best they can.
Many family and friends carers both want and need support to enable them to meet the needs of the children they care for.
The government has therefore asked us to develop a Family and Friends Care Policy to show how we will assess and provide help to family and friends who become carers for children who cannot live with their birth parents: