ALL ABOUT FOSTERING

TYPES OF FOSTERING:

Permanent or Long-Term Fostering

The foster family usually carers for the child until they reach adulthood. At no point will foster carers

assume any legal responsibility for the child – this will always be held by the Local Authority and Birth

Parents.

Private Fostering

When parents make an arrangement for their child to stay with someone (for 28 days or more) who is

not a close relative. Social Services must be informed and will undertake checks to ensure that the

child is being cared for within a set of guidelines.

Short-Term Fostering

Involves the carers looking after a child for a few weeks or months (sometimes longer) while permanent

plans are made for the child.

Emergency Foster Care

Caring for children who need somewhere safe to stay immediately, usually for a few nights.

Short Break Care

Usually involves children living with their own foster family and having short breaks with another foster

family. This most often applies to children with a disability.

Remand Fostering

Caring for young people who are ‘remanded’ by the court into the care of the local authority.

Kinship Care

Children are cared for by people they already know – such as family, friends and other people

connected to them.

Parent & Child or Mother and Baby Care

Usually involves carers looking after a parent and their child (often young mothers and their newborn

babies) and preparing them for the future.

Staying Put

Staying Put is the arrangement whereby care leavers can choose to live with their foster carers beyond

the age of 18, and until they are 21 in some cases.