The Difference Between Fostering in Wales and Adopting 

Fostering and adoption are both important  ways of providing loving and stable homes for children who cannot live with their birth families. However, despite sharing the goal of ensuring the well-being of vulnerable children, fostering and adoption are distinct processes with different aims and outcomes. In this blog post, we'll explore the difference between fostering in Wales and adopting, highlighting the unique roles each plays in providing care for children in need. 

 

Understanding Fostering in Wales 

Fostering in Wales involves providing care and support for children who are unable to live with their birth families. Fostering arrangements can vary in duration, from short-term placements to long-term care, depending on the needs and circumstances of the child and their family. 

Foster parents in Wales play a vital role in providing a safe and nurturing environment for children in care. They work closely with local authorities or independent fostering agencies to meet the individual needs of each child, providing support, guidance, and stability during periods of transition and uncertainty. 

Fostering in Wales is governed by legislation such as the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, which emphasises the importance of promoting children's well-being and ensuring their voices are heard in decisions affecting their lives.  

To find out more about fostering with Family Fostering Partners, click here!

 

Key Features of Fostering in Wales: 

Providing Care: Fostering involves providing care for children for varying lengths of time; this could be on a respite basis for a couple of nights a month, a short-term basis (for a few weeks up to a few years), or a long-term basis, often until adulthood.  

Supportive Environment: Foster carers in Wales offer a supportive and nurturing environment for children in care, helping them to thrive and reach their full potential. With the support of Family Fostering Partners, our foster parents can expect tailored support packages and training to help them on their fostering journey.  

Collaboration: Fostering in Wales involves collaboration between foster carers, local authorities, and other professionals to ensure the best outcomes for the children in our collective care. 

Flexibility: When choosing to foster with Family Fostering Partners, you will have the choice of who you foster. The matching process, in our view, is key to successful placements and happy fostering households! We discuss and share all information about the children who require fostering homes in Wales with our foster parents and offer our advice and support to help you make the right decision for your family.  You can choose whether you would like to offer respite care, short term care or long-term care to fit around your family. Click here to read more about types of placement. 

 

Understanding Adoption 

Adoption, on the other hand, involves providing a permanent legal arrangement for children to become part of a new family when they cannot be raised by their birth parents. Adoptive parents become the child's legal parents, with all the rights and responsibilities that come with parenthood. 

Adoption in Wales is governed by legislation such as the Adoption and Children Act 2002, which sets out the legal framework for adoption procedures and practices. The act prioritises the best interests of a child, ensuring they are placed with families who can provide them with love, stability, and security for life. 

 

Key Features of Adoption: 

Permanent Legal Arrangement: Adoption provides a permanent legal arrangement for children to become part of a new family, with all the rights and responsibilities of biological children. 

Stability and Security: Adoptive families offer children stability, security, and a sense of belonging, providing them with a home where they can thrive and grow.  

Legal Process: Adoption involves a legal process to terminate the rights of the child's birth parents and establish new legal ties between the child and their adoptive parents. 

 

Differences Between Fostering in Wales and Adopting 

While fostering and adoption share the common goal of providing loving and stable homes for children in need, there are several key differences between the two processes: 

Legal Status: One of the primary differences between fostering in Wales and adopting is the legal status of the arrangement. Fostering is a temporary arrangement (although often lasts for many years), whilst adoption is permanent. 

Parental Rights: When fostering in Wales, the child's birth parents retain parental rights and decisions about the child's care may involve input from birth parents and social services. The children may also have regular contact with their birth families, dependant on the needs of the child and their care plan.  

In adoption, the adoptive parents become the child's legal parents, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. 

Purpose: Fostering in Wales is primarily focused on providing care and support for children who cannot live with their birth families. Foster parents follow a care plan and are paid to look after the children in their care. Potential outcomes of fostering in Wales include children moving onto their adoptive homes, caring for a child on a short-term basis whilst their future care plans are decided, or caring for a child on a long-term arrangement; until they reach adulthood.  

Adoption, on the other hand, is focused on providing a permanent home for children who cannot be raised by their birth parents. 

Support Services: While both fostering and adoption involve support services for children and families, the nature and accessibility of support may differ. Fostering with Family Fostering Partners involves ongoing support and training for foster carers to help them meet the changing needs of children in care. We also provide 24/7 support, regular support groups and membership to Foster Talk; an independent service that provides free legal advice, health advice, discounts and more!

In comparison, adoption may involve support services to help adoptive families navigate the initial transition and build strong bonds with their adopted children, however, such support often ends after an initial settling period.  

 

In Short: 

For those choosing fostering in Wales rather than adoption, you can expect to be paid for your role as a foster parent. You will also receive ongoing support and training, and it will be your choice as to who provides that training (either an independent agency or a local authority). However, you will not have parental rights over the child you care for and the child will remain the legal responsibility of the local authority. Click here to learn more about the legal process of becoming a foster parent. 

 

Conclusion 

Fostering and adoption are both valuable ways of providing care and support for children who cannot live with their birth families. Fostering in Wales involves providing care and support for children, with the goal of solidifying long-term arrangements. Adoption, on the other hand, provides a permanent legal arrangement. 

While fostering and adoption have distinct differences, both are driven by a shared commitment to ensuring the well-being and safety of children in need. Whether through fostering or adoption, individuals and families in Wales can make a meaningful difference in the lives of children, providing them with the love, stability, and support they need to thrive. Take the first step today, and complete our fostering application form. 

return to news & blogs