Types of Fostering
What placement options are available?
A Full Range of Foster Home-Finding Arrangements
As a foster carer, there are a range of placement types that you can choose to be available for. These include Standard and Specialist types of fostering placements. It is a good idea to learn about what is involved with each kind of placement and during your assessment discuss your choices with the Social Worker undertaking your assessment, they will help you understand and choose what will suit your family. When approved as a foster carer, you will be given terms of approval which set out the number of children, the age range and the type of care you can provide. This might include emergency, short break (respite), interim, long-term or permanent care. This may change over time as you gain more experience.
All our foster carers benefit from comprehensive training, both pre and post-approval, Swiis are committed to ensuring that our foster carers develop professionally. Once you have been approved as a foster carer, the Placement Team will work closely with you to understand your requirements and the skills that you have so that they can find the right placement match for you.
Types of Fostering Arrangements
Short-term / Task centred arrangements
If you take on a short-term foster arrangement, you will be helping to prepare that child for their return home or their move to a new family if long term fostering is needed.
These crucial foster arrangements involve working towards specific goals. These may include assessment arrangements and bridging and preparation for adoption which meet other specific care plan objectives.
Carers usually look after these children for a few weeks or months while plans are made for the child’s next steps.
If you would like to know more about short-term home-finding arrangements, please get in touch with us below.
Longer term arrangements
When a child can’t return to their birth family and adoption isn’t the right route for them at that time, long-term foster arrangements are needed. ‘Long-term foster care’ is not just about the length of time you would look after a child, but refers to the care plan and the type of care which will be best for that child.
Becoming a long-term foster carer offers the child in your care stability, which is extremely comforting to a child who has probably never experienced a sense of being settled.
A long-term home-finding arrangement means the child can grow to feel like part of the family and trust that somebody is looking out for them. Being a long-term foster carer can be an extremely rewarding job.
If you would like to know more about long-term arrangements, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Sibling Arrangements
Keeping families together is extremely important to Swiis. We know first-hand the difference it makes for brothers and sisters to stay together when going through the home-finding arrangement process. Often a sibling is the only other person a child in care feels they can trust in life and are likely to have gone through a lot together. Understandably, it is much easier for a child to re-adjust to a new home if they don’t feel alone, and instead have that unique support only a family member can give.
If you can provide the right space, skills and energy to meet the demands of a sibling arrangement, then please get in touch. There is a huge demand for sibling arrangements foster carers.
Parent and Child
Could you help a young vulnerable person to develop their parenting skills? By taking on a parent and child arrangement, you will play a vital role in helping a young family manage to stay together. As the home-finding arrangement progresses, you will monitor the parent and assess their development.
A parent and child foster arrangement will allow you to share your skills and experience with vulnerable young parents, supporting them through their child’s early days, weeks or months. It is an extremely rewarding role.
For more information about parent and child fostering, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Fostering Teenagers
Fostering teenagers involves caring for young people aged 13 – 18 years old. During these years, teenagers are developing independence and making important decisions about their education and future. As a foster carer, you will play a vital role in helping them build confidence, develop life skills, and navigate responsibilities while providing the support and guidance they need to prepare for independence.
Children with Disabilities
Children needing foster care include those with medical conditions or physical or learning disabilities, such as autism, hyperactivity, attention deficits, or reading difficulties. These arrangements are offered on full time or respite bases. Don’t worry if you are unsure whether you have the skills to meet this need, our team will assess you and offer additional training if necessary.
This form of care does need more attention and the ability to manage special medication or care routines. In some cases you may need to have a downstairs bedroom and bathroom.
If you choose to offer a disabled child a home, whether on a full-time of respite bases, you will be making a big difference to a child’s life.
If you would like any more information about the different types of fostering, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Short Break and Respite Care
A respite or ‘short-break’ home-finding arrangement is available to support a child’s current arrangement, providing relief for foster or birth families. Respite could be for one night or one week and often occurs during school holidays or at weekends.
Respite care is flexible, so you can control your level of commitment. Foster carers who start their fostering specialising in respite care, often decide to become full time foster carers.
If you would like to know more about respite foster care, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
Sanctuary-Seeking Children
Fostering sanctuary-seeking children is a compassionate and impactful way to provide support to young people who have fled their home countries in search of safety.
Your role as their foster carer is to provide them with a safe and understanding home where their culture and faith are respected and supported.