Fostering UK services

Fostering can make a real difference to the quality of children's lives, and whilst it can be demanding it can also be immensely fulfilling and rewarding.

There are many reasons why children may be fostered. They may come from a broken home, or they may have been neglected or abused. Often the fostering is only temporary and is designed to give the child's family a chance to sort out their problems, after which the child can return home.

Whilst fostering children is a full-time career with enormous responsibilities, anyone can become a foster carer as long as they have the desire and the dedication to care for children who can no longer live with their own families.

The type of fostering placement required depends on the particular needs of the child in question.

Different types of placement include:

• Short term
• Long term
• Emergency placements
• Bridging and assessment
• Respite and holiday
• Sibling groups
• Multi-cultural
• Parent and child
• Preparation for independence

Every prospective foster carer has to go through some tough regulations and checks, but before you undertake the selection process you should first ask yourself the following questions:

• Have you any prior experience of fostering children? If not, are you prepared to undertake a comprehensive training programme ?
• Have you got at least one spare bedroom ?
• Are you prepared to undertake fostering children from a wide age range ?
• Do you have the desire and dedication to make a real difference to a child's life ?

If you are interested in becoming a foster carer, visit the Fostering Support Group website (part of the Care UK group) to find out more about fostering UK children.

 Case study