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Making a difference to children when they are at most immediate need of a place to stay...
Emergency fostering is a vital short-term service which supports families and protects children when they are most in need of somewhere to stay.
Emergency foster parents play a unique and necessary role in protecting children who face immediate risk of harm, providing a safe and comforting place for them to call their own when their family is in crisis.
Emergency foster care is needed for all kinds of urgent situations, including:
Emergency foster parents provide a temporary safe haven for a child in need until they can return home, or until the local authority has decided upon other arrangements.
Typically, emergency foster care lasts only a few days. In some instances, a child may stay a little longer, and it could be your responsibility as their foster parent to take them to school and any appointments.
Often, a child brought into emergency foster care may be upset and may have very little understanding of what’s happening to them and their family. They might be bewildered, frightened and traumatised.
It’s the job of an emergency foster parent to provide them with a safe home, comfort, and understanding. Having a person who can provide them with emotional support and security at this difficult time is invaluable to a child in need.
It’s important that you can easily adapt to change and have a flexible schedule. Due to the nature of emergency fostering, children will often come into foster care with very little notice, often after being removed from a potentially harmful situation.
You’ll almost certainly find that you receive requests to provide a safe place for a child outside of usual hours. This includes at weekends, or even in the middle of the night. Due to this, emergency fostering is ideal for people who are available at short notice and who thrive in challenging situations.
Our expert foster care training will ensure you're prepared for every situation. You can also reach out to us for support whenever you need us by calling our 24/7 helpline to get expert guidance from our out-of-hours helpline.
As an emergency foster parent, you’ll receive a generous payment for each night a child spends in your care. You'll also have exclusive access to our online rewards platform, where you can find hundreds of discounts to some of your favourite shops, restaurants, and fun family experiences.
When you join us, you’ll also benefit from:
However you choose to foster, we’ll be here to support you and the children in your care every step of the way, with expert advice, support for every member of your family, and training tailored to you. If emergency foster care sounds like the right fit for you and your family, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
What is the emergency foster care process?
When a child is in immediate need of a safe place to stay, their local authority will get in touch with our team. Our expert referrals team will then spring into action to find an emergency foster parent who has the skills to accommodate all of the child’s needs.
We’ll then get in touch with the ideal emergency foster parent and ask them if they’re available to welcome the child. Our team will then review the match, and if it’s agreed that it’s the right fit for the child and the foster family, we'll put them forward to the local authority. If the local authority agrees, they'll arrange for the child to be taken to the emergency foster parent’s home.
How long do children stay in emergency foster care?
A child who's brought into foster care on an emergency basis will usually stay with their emergency foster parent for up to five nights, or perhaps a little longer if their emergency foster parent can provide them with a safe place to live while the right arrangements are made for their care.
Can I be an emergency foster parent alongside other types of fostering?
You may be able to provide emergency fostering alongside other types of fostering, providing this is in the best interests of the other children in your home. This is a great option for foster parents who are looking to do more to help, and who have extra space in their home to welcome another child.
It's also an excellent way to help children while you're not caring for a young person on a longer-term basis.
Respite
Respite carers provide foster parents with a chance to rest, while they take care of the children for a night or two.
Short-term
Short-term fostering can range from a single night to a few years, depending on the child's and family's needs.
Parent & child
Foster parents provide a home to a young expectant mum or a vulnerable parent and their young child.
Siblings
There's a real shortage of individuals who can provide siblings with a loving home so they can stay together.
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One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
You can get in touch by filling out our online enquiry form with any queries that you may have.
We have local teams covering most of England. Find your local office today.