Fostering
Does this sound like you?:
- strong listening and observational skills?
- a good sense of humour?
- optimism?
- resilience?
We are looking for carers of all backgrounds to give children in care the best possible start in life. If you have room and energy in your life to consider fostering, call us on 01296 382555 or read more information below.
What are foster carers?
We are looking for families who can meet the varying needs of the children in our care who need caring and stable foster homes.
Approved foster carers care for children while their own parents are unable to look after them. This is often a temporary arrangement and the children will return home once it is clear their parents can safely care for them. In other cases, decisions will be made for the children to be adopted or to stay in foster care on a long-term basis. Others might go to live with family members or move on to live independently.
Foster care is a positive way of looking after children in our care. It allows them to continue to live and develop in a family environment. Foster carers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and can be married, single, living with a partner, divorced, employed or unemployed. It is important that everyone living in a fostering household is enthusiastic about fostering and willing to work to make a difference to the lives of foster children. Most of these children will be going through a difficult time and rely on foster carers to help them gain a sense of confidence and security.
Foster care is regulated under the Fostering Regulations (2002) and the Children Act (1989).
Types of placements
- Short-term fostering - carers look after children from a few days to several months or years.
- Take-a-Break - disabled children or children with special needs enjoy a short stay with a Take-a-Break carer while their parents or usual foster carers have a short break for themselves.
- Long-term fostering - some children are placed in long-term foster care if they cannot return to live with their birth families and adoption is not considered as the best option. These are often older children who continue to have regular contact with birth relative.The plan for these children is to be cared for by carers until adulthood. Children under five are not normally placed in long-term fostering unless they are part of a sibling group.
- Respite - this provides planned regular breaks to children away from home to support families in difficulties or other foster carers.
- Fostering Xtra - this is a new fostering scheme specifically for adolescents with challenging needs who require specialist support. Foster carers for this scheme must have been an approved foster carer for three years or have other related child-care experience. Carers approved for this scheme could receive up to £630 per week, but must have no other paid work commitment. There is a separate information pack with details of this new scheme available.
Family Placement Recruitment Team
Council Offices
King George V Road
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
HP6 5BN
For more information call 01296 382555 or email fostering@buckscc.gov.uk
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