Types of Solihull foster carer
Foster carers come in all shapes and sizes, reflecting Solihull’s children in need of a loving home, whether that’s for a few months or several years.
Fostering provides a home for children and young people who can no longer be cared for by their parents. There are many different types of fostering depending on the needs of the child or young person.
A foster carer may be there to care for a child in an emergency, or they may provide a long-term home for the remainder of a child’s time in care. Either way, you could be there with them for some of the most important milestones of their life.
There are many different types of foster care to meet the needs of children across the West Midlands, which include:
As foster carers, we do the amazing job of being that secure base for children whilst families can repair and hopefully be reunited
Samantha, Foster Carer
Short-term foster care
Short-term foster carers will look after a child until decisions are made for their future, ranging from an overnight stay to a period up to 2 years.
A short-term foster carer gives young people in unsettled situations the security they need at the time they need it most. Sometimes the child can be reunited with their birth family, or they may go on to be adopted.
Long-term foster care
Children who cannot return to their birth families may move into long-term foster care, if this is deemed the right decision for the child and their future. Foster carers who care for children on a long-term basis will provide a safe and loving home for children until they reach adulthood.
Unlike adoption, the legal responsibility for the child or young person will remain with the local authority, and the child may still have contact with their birth parents. A key responsibility for all long-term carers is supporting this contact, with the help of our fostering team.