Short-term fostering
Short-term foster care provides children with a safe home environment temporarily when they’re not able to live with their family.
What is short-term foster care?
Short-term fostering aims to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children while local authorities work to either reunite them with their families or secure a long-term care plan.
Since every child entering foster care initially requires a short-term foster home, we’re always on the lookout for caring and compassionate individuals who can provide support and stability during these challenging times.
How long do children stay in short-term foster care?
Short-term foster care can last for a few nights, weeks, months or even several years. Even though the time you spend with your young person may be temporary, the impact you can have on their lives can last forever.
While you care for the young person and help them to thrive, we’ll be working behind the scenes to make plans for the child’s future.
Why do children need short-term foster care?
There are a wide number of reasons why children need to be placed into temporary foster homes. These can include:
- The sudden illness or death of a caregiver
- If there has been abuse or neglect in the family home
- If a child’s family is involved in court proceedings
- If a child is awaiting adoption
- If a young person is approaching the age of 18 and is making their first steps towards their independence
Start your fostering journey here
Download our brochure and discover everything you need to know about fostering with Orange Grove.
Is short-term fostering right for me?
As with any type of fostering, we’re looking for people who can provide a stable, caring environment for a child who needs comfort and security.
It will be your job to support and nurture your young person through a difficult time, supporting their physical and emotional wellbeing as well as their education.
You could be brilliantly suited to short-term fostering if:
- You can quickly form meaningful bonds with children and young people
- You’d love the opportunity to help a range of children from different walks of life
- You’re interested in helping children transition to their long-term care plans, which may involve safely reunifying them with their families or supporting their move to adoption or long-term foster care
Many children come to us on a short-term basis, but some may move into long-term foster care if it’s decided that staying with their foster family is the right choice for them. This makes short-term fostering ideal for foster parents who are also open to offering long-term care.
A key component of any foster care is helping children to keep in touch with their birth families where appropriate. If the child in your care is moving towards adoption, you’ll be involved in taking them to visit their potential adoptive family. Because of this, it’s important that you’re great at building relationships with people from all different backgrounds.
What support do short-term foster parents get?
As well as our generous allowances, you can rely on us to provide you with:
- An extensive support package which includes regular visits from your dedicated social worker, the support of a family support worker, access to a therapist and guidance from an education specialist. You can also speak to a qualified social worker, day or night, using our 24/7 helpline.
- Excellent on-going training to help you become the best foster parent you can be, with flexible training options such as online sessions to suit your schedule.
- An assessment process which is designed to fit around your schedule to ensure that you can meet your other commitments, whether that be work or caring for loved ones.
- Support for your whole family, including the opportunity for your loved ones to join you in training sessions and resources dedicated to supporting your own children while you foster.
If you’d like to learn more about fostering with Orange Grove, please get in touch with our team today and we’ll be happy to provide more information.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply to become a foster parent?
Almost anybody can apply to become a foster parent, as long as you meet the following basic criteria:
- You’re over 21 years old
- You have a spare bedroom that’s permanently available to a child
- You have the legal right to live and work in the UK
- You’re passionate about making a life-changing difference to children in care
We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to join us, whether you’re single or in a relationship. You don’t need any experience to apply, as we’ll provide you with all the training you need to be confident in your role.
What’s the difference between long term and short term fostering?
While short-term foster care is a temporary arrangement with the ultimate goal of returning children to their family home, long-term foster care is a more permanent arrangement.
Children in long-term foster care will stay with their foster family until they turn eighteen and are ready to live independently. Some children in long-term care may be able to stay with their foster family even after they turn eighteen, thanks to an arrangement called ‘Staying Put.’
Will I be in contact with the child’s birth family?
Getting to see family members can be a real benefit for children in care, particularly if they’ve been separated from their siblings.
As a foster parent, you’ll be encouraged to promote positive contact with birth family, wherever possible. This might be through family time that’s been arranged by the local authority, video and phone calls, and even buying gifts and writing cards for special occasions.
Other types of foster care
Long-term
Long-term fostering provides children with the stability of a single foster family right through to adulthood.
Emergency
This type of fostering provides care to a vulnerable child in an emergency, such as domestic violence.
Respite
Respite carers provide foster parents with a chance to rest while they take care of the children for a night or two.
Parent & child
Foster parents provide a home to a young expectant mum or a vulnerable parent and their young child.
Speak to our team
Whether you’re ready to start your journey or just want to chat to an expert, we’re here to talk.
Enquiry
Please make sure you read our terms and conditions because you’re agreeing to them by submitting an enquiry. It’s also worth reading our privacy policy and cookies policy so you understand how we collect and use your personal data. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and Terms of Service apply.
Ready to start your fostering journey?
By Phone
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
By Email
You can get in touch by filling out our online enquiry form with any queries that you may have.
Live chat
Have a live chat online with one of our dedicated fostering professionals
Visit an office
We have local teams covering most of England. Find your local office today.