Types of fostering

Emergency foster care

Emergency care is needed when children or young people need somewhere safe to stay at very short notice. Emergency carers often provide care after-hours or on weekends for short periods of time, such as a few days or weeks.

Short break foster care

Short break carers look after children and young people for a short time to give families or foster carers some time out.  A short break may be a one-off or it might take place regularly for example, once a month.

Short break care is a great way to get started on your fostering journey and to see if fostering is right for you. You still get the opportunity to help children in need without committing to the full-time aspect of other types of foster care. 

Interim foster care

Interim care is when a child or young person is placed temporarily with a carer for a limited period of time, up to two years. Usually until the child can be safely reunited with their birth family or a permanent family is found for them.

Long term / permanent foster care

Whilst we believe in keeping children and families together wherever possible sometimes a child cannot return safely to their birth parents or family members. Long term and permanent carers make a commitment to caring for a child or young person until they reach adulthood and often beyond.