Temporary fostering
The length of the placement could be from an overnight, a weekend, a month or longer. The children who go to live with temporary carers normally come from their parents’ home at a time of an emergency or crisis. Whatever the reason for them leaving their parents, children are themselves upset, distressed and confused.
Initially the carers may have little background information if the family was not known to us previously. Some children in temporary care return home to the care of their parents or move to stay with relatives. Foster carers are crucial in making this possible. It is important that the children have as much safe contact with their parents in order for this to happen. These visits may not always be easy but it is vital that they happen if the family is to be reunited once their problems have been resolved.
For a small number of children it is not safe for them to return to the care of their parents and in these situations temporary carers look after the children until permanence plans are made for the remainder of their childhood. Relatives will be considered to care for the child permanently and if no one suitable is identified then depending on the child or young person’s age permanent foster care or adoption will be the plan for the child. In these situations temporary carers can play an important role in helping the child prepare for a new family.
You will need many skills as temporary foster carers some of which include:
- An ability to care for an unhappy distressed child
- An ability to be involved with the child’s parents
- An ability to help them get the best out of education
- An ability to make sure they are well and healthy.
- An ability to help the child move on, back to their parents, Kinship care or to permanent carers
Temporary fostering can be rewarding for carers. They can see the child become more settled and begin to grow and develop. Fostering is a vital and valued service to children and their families.
If you look after a child of a relative or friend this is called kinship care and private fostering.