Respite foster care
Respite care means providing short-term relief from a difficult
situation.
What is respite foster care?
Respite foster care can provide regular breaks from home, for a
few days at a time, to enable children and young
people to live with their own family for the rest of the
time. It can also provide a break for foster carers who need
time to re-charge if the child is challenging or tiring
to look after. Additionally, children or young people may be
waiting for a school place and need activities to help them
stay stimulated and motivated until this is available.
The benefits:
- You can continue to work on a full or part-time basis and still
make a difference to a child's life.
- Respite placements can be great fun, for carers and children
alike. They can give children a chance to meet new
people and have new experiences.
- Respite care can have a major impact to a child's overall
situation, it can sometimes enable them to remain with their
families and stop them from being placed into long-term
fostering.
- Respite care is flexible, this gives you an opportunity to
share your parenting skills, family life and activities with a
young person, which enriches their lives and builds their
self-esteem and confidence.
- Respite carers provide valued support for parents or long-term
carers of foster children.
- You play an important role in the child's life, building
relationships with them, offering adult support and being
interested in their progress.
What is involved?
- You will work as part of team with the children's parents
and full-time foster carers. Together you will follow a
shared plan to ensure a consistency of care in the child's
life.
- Children needing respite fostering can be any age from one year
to 17 years old, but will more than likely be of school age or
above.
- You will need to be able to offer your free time on a
regular basis at weekends, mid-week breaks and/or holidays. You can
define the amount but it is helpful for placement planning, if you
are willing to agree your commitment in advance.
- You will need to have 1 spare bedroom, to allow a
children to have their own safe space.
Can you help?
Caring, flexible people with energy and enthusiasm are needed
for this vital role. Respite care is an important service for
the families concerned. Demand is high for respite care.
If you have the qualities needed and are interested in joining
this, please contact us on 0845 330 2968 to find
out more and we will be happy to answer your enquiries.
Please view the list of all the other types of
foster care available.