Types of foster care

Early permanence, also known as ‘fostering for adoption’, is when a baby or child you may adopt comes to live with you at an early stage. This helps children form attachments to their carer at a young age.

When you support a baby or young child along with their parent to live with you. Parent and child carers help parents develop their skills in a warm and nurturing family environment.

Also known as ‘kinship care’ or ‘connected persons’ is when you look after family member or the child of a close family friend. The most common carers are grandparents, but it could also be aunts or uncles, older siblings or someone the child knows well.

If you have arranged to look after someone else’s child and would not come under kinship care, this is known as private fostering.

Children and young people who are refugees and asylum seekers are usually supported through regular short-term fostering.

There are also national support schemes that are not technically fostering, such as 'Homes for Ukraine'.

Short breaks are when you look after children and young people with disabilities or special educational needs. As well as giving parents or carers a break, this respite supports young people in building relationships outside the home.

You would be linked to a family and would provide regular respite to the same child, who is typically living at home with their parents. It would be helpful to have experience of children with additional needs, however, we will provide training and support.