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Parent and Child Fostering

Parent and child fostering is a specialist type of care where a parent or parents and their child come to stay with you at a time when they need additional support. By providing a stable and nurturing environment, you can help them develop the skills and confidence to raise happy and cared for children, increasing their chances of staying together in the long-term.

Who will I look after?

As a parent and child foster carer, you will help families who are having difficulties with parenting whilst they are assessed and/or supported to try and resolve these difficulties.

Parent and child fostering is also known as parent and baby fostering, but it you will not necessarily look after babies. This type of placement is usually for a family with a younger child or children but children’s ages can vary. Equally, the parent or parents can be of either gender and their ages may range from adolescence to adulthood.

Foster carer benefits  

Round the clock support

Looking after a family is a round-the-clock job, so our local, friendly team is on call 24/7 to support you

Local fostering office

Our local office and support groups mean you can connect with other foster carers and families nearby

Training and career progression

We will provide all the required training for you to take on this highly specialised type of fostering

Foster carer pay

We believe that the stronger the support system for the foster carer, the more positive the outcome for the family in your care

Challenges and rewards of parent and child fostering

There will be moments when the parent or parents in your care have made significant progress and are ready to take on the responsibilities of raising their child independently. This achievement signifies that they have faced and overcome their difficulties, and now feel confident in their parenting skills. Your support as a parent and child foster carer will have played a key role in enabling the family to stay together, which is an incredibly rewarding experience.

Although placements typically last from 12 weeks to a year, the benefits of your support can last a lifetime. By providing a stable and nurturing environment, you have helped the family develop the skills and confidence to build a positive future together.

Sadly, there may also be occasions where the child cannot remain with their birth parent/s. In this instance, you will help the parent/s and child to deal with the outcomes the decision. We will be there to help you navigate situations like this every step of the way, with 24/7 support from our dedicated team. 

 

foster mother and daughter

Interested in becoming a parent and child foster carer?

Get in touch to arrange an informal chat with our friendly Carer Enquiry Team

Enquire about fostering