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types of fostering

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types of foster care

It’s often said that home is where the heart is, and we strongly agree. Home can be anywhere a child feels safe, can laugh and share their dreams. Where they learn and grow as young people.

Foster homes offer a place to nurture a child in this way and whilst they may come in all shapes and sizes, they share this in common.

Fostering can mean a night away from home, a regular weekend break or somewhere more permanent. It’s a flexible solution to meet a child’s needs.

short-term foster care
long-term foster care
specialist kinds of foster care

short-term foster care

family sitting around a table playing games

Short-term foster care can mean anything from a few hours to a year, it provides security and love for a shorter period of time.

Short-term foster carers provide a safe space for young people while we work to secure their more long-term plans. It means you’re there to provide consistency when they need it and to help them on their journey.

young boy standing and smiling

While you may think a short-term placement won’t make a big change, it really will. It means you’re part of something brilliant for the child and even the small breaks make all the difference for a child in foster care.

long-term foster care

family playing at the park

Some foster children or young people can’t live at home, so that’s where a longer-term foster home comes in. This means a new family; a new space to grow and develop in.

young boy smiling

Our team takes their time when matching long-term foster care placements as it’s important to find the right match, one that will last for as long as it’s needed. For a young person or child in long-term foster, it means a brighter future thanks to a stable and loving foster family.

specialist kinds of foster care

There are many types of short-term and long-term foster care, including some more specialist types for children and young people with specific needs. These include:

family sitting around a bench smiling

short breaks

Short breaks are great for carers and children, giving us all a chance to breathe and get away. Shorter breaks could mean overnight stays, weekend trips or just a day out.

Also known as ‘support care’, this type of foster care is sometimes planned in advance and can be as regular as the child and their family needs. Short term foster carers become consistent extensions for the child, offering a change of scene, an opportunity for new experiences and a chance to develop as individuals.

family laughing together

parent and child

Parent and child placements are a unique kind of foster care placement that pairs you with a parent and their young child. It’s a chance to help nurture both generations, show them compassion and care whilst providing them with new skills. It’s a chance to shape the next generation living in Powys too.

Read More: Parent and child fostering in Powys

family playing at the park

therapeutic care

Therapeutic foster care is for children with more complex needs, giving them a different kind of care. If you choose to foster a child who needs therapeutic care, we’ll always be there to give an extra level of support to you and your family.

young boy playing cards and smiling

become a foster carer

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