What is fostering
What is fostering
Fostering is about caring for and looking after children and young people in your own home whilst their own parents are unable to look after them.
Ideally children who come into care will in due course return to their birth parents or other family members but this is often not possible. In this event, a Local Authority will seek a permanent new home for a child or young person.
The ideal foster home is one which provides a child or young person with a safe environment that enables that child to move into the future with confidence.
Types of fostering
The duration of a fostering placement varies depending on the individual circumstances and background factors. The following will give you some idea of the types of foster care that Vision offers;
- Emergency or short term placements
This could be for just one night or 3-4 months. It could be caused by an incident of abuse or breakdown in relationship or by illness.
- Medium or long term placements
These placements can last for a few months or 15 years or more. Once it becomes clear that the child needs a new permanent home, that young person will probably stay with you until independence at the age of 16 or perhaps up to 18. There will usually (but not always) be contact with the birth family.
- Placements for children with special needs
Some children in care have physical or learning disabilities or medical problems due to addictions. In these instances, you will often be working in conjunction with other experts to assist the child.
- Sibling placements
It is important wherever possible to keep sibling groups together. Some of our carers specialise in providing safe and [loving] environments for sibling groups.
- Parent and child placements
Some of our carers specialise in helping new mums and/or dads and their children. These tend to be short term placements.
Implications for you
- You don’t need GCSEs to become a professional carer – but you do need energy, commitment, patience and understanding. (A sense of humour is a great asset too)
- In theory anyone can do this work – and yet it is a very skilled, professional job that you do. So, you may be single, married, divorced or in a partnership, living in a mansion or a council house, with homegrown children or none.
- But the first step is to contact us and talk informally to one of our team.
tel 0845 838 8880