Types of foster care
There are different types of foster care to meet the diverse needs of children and young people. You can explore which types of fostering you would like to offer during your assessment process.
Short term
Short term care is where a child is cared for on a temporary basis, often for a few weeks or months.
Long term
Long term fostering allows children and young people to stay in a family until they become adults.
Siblings
Local Authorities and fostering agencies try to keep siblings together where possible.
Emergency/same day
This is when a child or young person needs to be placed at short notice, usually on the same day.
Unaccompanied asylum seeking children
This involves caring for a child or young person who is seeking asylum in the UK and has been separated from their family.
Respite
Respite provides care to children and young people for short periods, usually on a regular basis to give birth parents or full-time foster carers a break.
Staying Put
Young people in foster care who turn 18 years old can stay with their Foster Carers until they are 21 (25 in some circumstances). Both parties must agree to this.
Child and Parent
Foster Carers offer a home to both the child and their parent. Foster carers help parents prepare for birth and support them to provide a safe and nurturing environment.