What do foster carers do?

Foster carers are ordinary people who are willing to open up their hearts and homes to provide care to other people’s children.

Some children / young people need to live in foster care for a short period of time whilst others need a home for a longer period. Some children cannot return home to live with their parents and they move from the foster carer’s home to adoptive families.

Foster carers offer a safe and secure home where children / young people feel valued, respected and cared for. Foster carers take a close interest in the lives of the children / young people, setting appropriate boundaries, teaching them how to behave whilst understanding and appreciating the uniqueness of each child / young person.

When children / young people have to live in foster care, they do not forget about their parents and extended family. Foster carers are likely to have contact with birth parents and extended family members.

As a foster carer you will also have contact with a number of professionals involved in the child / young person’s life eg. social workers, GP and teacher.

There is an opportunity to learn more about what foster carers do before making a commitment by participating in a pre approval training course.