Types of fostering
Children come into foster care with different situations and needs. This means there are lots of different types of fostering to ensure that each child gets the right type of foster placement.
At Camden, we provide support to mainstream, specialist and parent and child foster carers.
Mainstream foster carers
Emergency placements
Sometimes children need to be placed with a foster family at very short notice. This might happen late at night or over the weekend.
Emergency foster carers take turns to be on standby to welcome a child in an emergency. The child will stay with them until a longer-term plan or more suitable arrangement is made.
Short-term placements
Short-term foster placements last from a few nights up to 2 years.
Children might need to be in foster care short-term while situations with their family are being resolved, so they can safely return home or move on to a more permanent home.
Long-term placements
When it's been decided that a child is not able to return home to their family, we'll find a long-term foster placement.
These foster families have agreed to make a long-term commitment to care for a specific child until they become an adult.
Respite
A respite foster placement can offer support to a family at crisis point or to a foster carer who needs to have a break. Respite foster placements might be for a weekend or a week in the school holidays, but can last up to 21 days.
If you're only able to offer limited periods of time to fostering, then being a respite foster carer could be a good option.
Specialist foster carers
Specialist foster carers
Specialist foster carers look after children with very complicated needs and challenging behaviour. These children might have experienced a lot of trauma and not be used to normal routines or going to school regularly.
Specialist foster carers will have significant previous experience working with children or young people to bring about positive changes in their lives. These carers cannot be doing any other work while fostering and they're paid a higher rate.
Family Link (short breaks)
Family Link foster carers look after children with disabilities on a short-term basis. This gives the child’s family a break and gives the child a chance to try new experiences and activities with their Family Link foster carer.
Family Link placements can include day care, overnight or weekend stays, and foster carers will build up an ongoing relationship with a child and their family.
This is another good option for people who only have limited time to give to fostering.
Parent and child foster carers
Parent and child
Sometimes foster placements are needed for a vulnerable new parent and their baby. These new parents might be quite young and they'll need support and guidance to learn how to care for and form a strong bond with their baby.
Parent and child foster carers welcome a new parent and their baby into their home, helping them get used to being a parent. These placements are quite intense and usually last about 12 weeks, more information can be found here.
Parent and child foster carers will need to closely supervise the parent and make sure the baby's needs are being met. They'll keep detailed records of how the parent is getting on, and these are used to make decisions about the plan for the baby.
Due to the nature of parent and child foster care, payments are made at a higher rate.