Foster Care - A Guide to Long Term Fostering
A Guide to Long Term Fostering
- What is long term Foster Care?
- Why do children need long term care?
- What is expected of a long term Foster Carer?
- What role will the child's birth parents play?
- What support will I receive?
- How do I apply?
- What happens next?
What is long term Foster Care?
The term long term Fostering is used by Social Workers to describe the needs of children for whom Services for Children and Young People must find alternative families for the duration of childhood.
Why do children need long term care?
Services for Children and Young People has a duty to protect children from significant harm.
We work hard to assist parents to care for their children. However, in some cases, relationships between parents and children are so damaged that a child will have no opportunity to receive the protection, love and are that they will need to grow up happy and safe.
Such children need adoptive parents or a long term foster placement lasting the duration of childhood.
What is expected of a long term Foster Carer?
In simplest terms - to care for a child as a full member of your family.
Children who need long term care will have lacked the close attachment to an adult which is vital to their healthy growth and development. They need an adult who will give them commitment and to whom they can safely attach without fear or further loss.
What role will the child's birth parents play?
This will depend upon each child's situation.
Children who need permanent care will generally have plans agreed and protected by a court order. The decision will already have been made that a child cannot be cared for by their birth parent.
However, depending upon the situation there may still be benefit for a child continuing to have some contact with a parent or relative either indirectly (by letter, exchange of photographs etc.) or by direct contact.
What support will I receive?
You will receive preparation and training from Services for Children and Young People before any placement is made, and you will be asked to consider the implications of making a long term commitment to a child, upon yourself and your family.
Intensive support will be provided during the initial stages of a placement. This will reduce to monthly or six weekly visits by a Supervising Worker from the Fostering Team.
How do I apply?
Simple, just Telephone 0161 368 8865 or complete the on line referral form. We will take some very basic details to start with and will send you an information pack containing an application form for you to fill in. You can then read the information and consider whether you wish to pursue your interest by returning our application form.
What happens next?
A member of our Fostering Team will visit you and arrange for you to attend a short evening or daytime training programme. You will then undergo an assessment of your suitability to care for a vulnerable child.
This will include enquiries into your background, character, health and your overall family circumstances plus your experiences and strengths as a carer.
Foster Care can be a demanding task
You will certainly need good health, an understanding of the difficulties faced by parents and a commitment to the welfare of children which is shared and supported by all family members.
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 0161 368 8865
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 0161 368 8642
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