Temporary Foster Care
Last updated | 29/10/2008
Temporary foster carers provide a supportive family atmosphere to children and young people when circumstances mean they cannot stay with their own families, whether that be for a few days, a few weeks or a number of months. Contact is kept with the children's birth family along with the social work carers who are involved in helping the family live together again.
The Council needs to add to its supply of foster carers all the time, so that children and young people can be placed with families most capable of meeting their specific needs. In particular, Education & Children's Services are urgently seeking foster carers who can look after family groups of two or more children, usually 5 years or over in age. Keeping siblings together helps maintain family bonds and provides reassurance to children who might otherwise have to be separated from their brothers or sisters.
We also require to recruit foster carers who are willing to care for young people aged 12 and upwards. Often this group of young people may otherwise have to be 'looked after' in residential schools far from their home, family and friends. Increasingly children in foster care are older in age and can be more troubled and traumatised. They may have experienced severe problems in their lives which can lead to difficult behaviour. Foster carers can improve young people's self-confidence and self-esteem by providing positive role models and good experiences.
Carers need to be able to report to meetings and Children's Hearings. You will develop expertise in dealing with difficult behaviour, as well as helping the child or children return to their natural parents whenever possible.
