Deciding to Foster

You may already be wondering whether fostering is something that you could do but need an opportunity to learn more and to ask questions before you decide.

Fostering is a fantastic way of providing a safe and nurturing environment for children and young people when they are unable to live with their birth family. Foster parents are there for children at a time of crisis and trauma and can offer care and stability just when they most need it.

There may be a variety of reasons why a child or young person cannot live with their own parents, such as family breakdown, abuse, ill health or relationship problems, and because there are so many reasons, there are many different types of fostering that you could help with. You can read about the different types of fostering and see which is right for you by clicking here.

Often, fostering is used to provide temporary care while parents get help sorting out problems or to help children or young people through a difficult period in their lives. The children and young people placed with foster carers will be from a wide range of backgrounds and may display different behaviour depending upon their experiences. This is why there is no such thing as an “ideal” foster parent, and you could be exactly right fit for a vulnerable child.

When people ask, “what is fostering?” they sometimes confuse it with adoption. Foster Care is different from adoption because an Adoption Order ends a child’s legal relationship with their birth family. Children in foster care (looked after children) on the other hand remain the legal responsibility of the local authority and/or their birth parents. Some children in foster care go on to be adopted, sometimes by their foster carers, and sometimes by other adults.

All of our foster carers are trained, assessed and approved to ensure they are delivering the highest quality of care to looked after children.

By joining Family Fostering Partners you could make a real difference to a child’s life, but you will also have an opportunity to learn a new skill and meet others who, like you, want to care for the future.