Foster carers can be individuals or couples that provide care and a loving home for children and young people who cannot live with their birth parents or birth families. This may be for a variety of reasons such as abuse or neglect, family breakdown, illness of a parent, or other difficult circumstances that make it unsafe or unsuitable for them to remain at home.
Children who are in foster care are the legal responsibility of their local authority often under a Care Order for example, but they reside with approved foster carers for either emergency timeframes, short or long term periods and often for many years until they turn eighteen.
Foster carers come from a wide range of backgrounds with there being no single “type” of person who can foster. Foster carers can be single or in a relationship, employed or not, and come from diverse cultural or social backgrounds.
The most important thing is that foster carers meet the fostering requirements and are in a position where they can offer security and stability while having the ability to meet the individual needs of a child.
Basic requirements include:
- You must be over 21 years of age - there is no upper age limit to foster
- You have the right to work in the UK
- You are able to provide a stable home environment (with a spare bedroom if fostering children over 3 years old)
What is the difference between fostering and adopting?
Adoption is where the child permanently and legally is the responsibility of adoptive parents and their birth parents do not continue to retain legal responsibility known as ‘parental responsibility’.
With fostering, the child’s birth parents or the local authority retain legal responsibility for the child, while foster carers provide day-to-day care. The ultimate goal, if possible, is to reunite the child with their family once it is safe to do so. However, if this is not possible, a child may remain in long-term foster care or move on to adoption or independent living.
Children and young people who are fostered are most often subject to a Care Order, which means that the local authority shares parental and legal responsibility for the child with birth parents and not the foster carer.
What types of fostering are there?
There are several different types of fostering each of which are focussed around meeting the needs of a child. Common types of fostering are:
- short-term fostering - lasting a few weeks or months this type of fostering is generally used to bridge the gap while decisions are made about the child’s future
- long-term fostering – This can continue for many years, sometimes until the child reaches adulthood
- emergency fostering provides immediate care at short notice, often for just a few days.
There are also options such as ‘parent and child’ fostering where the young parent and baby or very young child will reside with foster carers with a view to be supported to return home and keep parent and baby together. There is also fostering for sibling groups in order to support children in the same family to remain together.
What impact do foster carers have on a child’s life?
Foster carers play a crucial role in supporting children during what is often a difficult and uncertain time. Their responsibilities go beyond providing food and shelter; they help children feel safe, build confidence, and maintain routines such as attending school and healthcare appointments. They also work closely with social workers, teachers and other professionals to support the child’s development and wellbeing. Foster carers also support and facilitate family time between the child and their birth family members, where appropriate.
Do foster carers receive an allowance?
Foster carers receive financial allowances to cover the cost of caring for a child day to day, also receive a fee in recognition of their time and skills. They are given training before and during their fostering journey, as well as ongoing support from fostering services or fostering agencies.
Overall, foster carer ensure that vulnerable children have a safe place to live and the chance to thrive. It requires patience, resilience and a genuine commitment to helping children and young people. At the same time, it offers the opportunity to make a meaningful difference by providing stability, care and encouragement during a critical period in their life.
Get in touch
If you are considering fostering or would simply like to learn more, you can get in touch with one of our team by calling 0300 019 0200 or by completing our enquiry form.
