You may have a preconceived idea of what fostering looks like, but did you know that there are lots of different types of fostering placements? Two of these are short-term and short break fostering. At first glance you might think that these are similar types of fostering, but there are a few differences between them.
Whichever type of fostering you choose to offer to the children in your care, you’re making a difference in that child’s life and giving them the safe and loving home that they deserve. By offering short breaks, sometimes called respite care, you’re allowing other hard working foster parents like yourself to reset and recharge, ready to take on the fostering role refreshed and energised.
So what’s the difference between short-term and short break fostering? We’re going to cover everything that you need to know so you can decide for yourself which would be best for you and your family.
What is short-term fostering?
Short-term fostering is a temporary form of foster care. This gives children the help and support they need during a turbulent time, as well as some much-needed stability.
These placements are typically the most common type of fostering, and are usually in place while a long-term plan is decided upon. The aim of most fostering placements is to reunite children with their birth family, but if this isn’t possible for whatever reason, they’ll stay with their short-term placement until a more permanent solution can be found for them.
As a short-term foster parent, you’ll have to facilitate family time with your foster child and their birth family or potential adoptive parents. You’ll give them the stability they need, such as ensuring they go to school.
How long is a short-term foster placement?
A short-term foster placement can last from anywhere between a couple of days, weeks, or months up to around two years. The name comes from the arrangement rather than the length of time that it takes, as this isn’t a long-term permanent solution.
Can short-term fostering lead to long-term placements?
While short-term placements aren’t intended to be for long periods of time lasting over two years, it’s possible that they could develop into long-term placements depending on what’s best for the child.
Their needs will be paramount, and most short-term fostering arrangements aim to reunite a child with their birth family. If this isn’t possible or isn’t in their best interests, then a more permanent placement will be found.
Staying with the same family can give a foster child more stability, and reduce the trauma of moving between families.
Who can do short-term fostering?
Any approved foster parent is suitable for short-term fostering. To be a foster parent with Fostering People, you will need:
- To be over 21 years of age
- Have a spare bedroom for your foster child or children
- Have the legal right to work in the UK
What is short break fostering?
Short break fostering, also known as respite care, is a short-term type of fostering where you look after foster children from other foster parents or birth families to give them a well-deserved break. This typically will be on weekends or in the school holidays, and lasts for between a few days to a couple of weeks.
This is a vital form of fostering that allows a foster child’s main foster parents to recharge their batteries and come back refreshed, ready to give their best selves to their foster children. Without this time to reset, foster parents won’t be able to switch off, and could more likely encounter burnout.
The wellbeing of foster children is always at the heart of what we do. So that’s why we try to use the same families each time, so children know why they are having ‘sleepovers’ with, wherever possible, to give them stability and security.
Is respite care the same as short break fostering?
Yes, respite care is the same as short break fostering. This allows a foster child’s main parents to have a well-earned break so they can come back feeling refreshed. This is a vital type of fostering that allows carers to do their best job to care for young people in need.
Who can offer short break fostering?
Once you’re approved as a foster parent, you can do short break fostering. It will depend on your personal preferences in terms of the type of fostering you’d like to cater for, but short break fostering tends to be planned in advance, so won’t happen with short notice such as emergency placements.
Short-term vs short break fostering
There are several things you’ll need to consider when choosing which type of fostering is best for you. Both of these are temporary styles of fostering, so would be perfect for those who aren’t looking for a long-term commitment.
Below are a few of the positives and things to consider to both short-term and short break fostering so you can make a fully informed decision.
Positives to short-term fostering
- Less commitment than long-term – if you didn’t want to think about the impact of a long-term placement and wanted more flexibility in your schedule, short-term fostering can give you this.
- Offers security and stability – by opening up your heart and home to children in need, you can be the person that offers them the stability that they need at a turbulent time of their life.
- Make a difference – you can give children the immediate safe space they need, as well as maintain a routine by attending school.
- Clear transitions – short-term care can bridge the gap between more permanent solutions, whether that’s returning home to their birth family, meeting their new adopted family, or transferring to a long-term foster placement.
- Positive impact – you can have a direct positive impact on the lives of children when they need it most.
- Building new skills – short-term placements can help you to build up a range of skills if you’re a newly qualified foster parent.
Things to consider
- Attachment and grief – saying goodbye to your foster children when they move between placements or leave your care to be reunited with their birth family is challenging. Foster parents receive support via Fostering People to help with this transition. Remember that forming attachments to children is really positive and many foster parents maintain contact and long lasting relationships with the children they have fostered, for many years after they have moved on.
- Lack of consistency – if you specialise as a short-term foster parent, it’s highly likely that you’ll have a number of children living with you over your fostering career.
- Gaps in between placements – when one child moves on, you’ll have a vacancy. Some foster parents choose to have a short break to recharge their batteries, some instantly make themselves available for new referrals. The more open you are in your matching criteria to things like a wide age range of children you’d like to foster, the quicker a new match can be found.
Positives to short break fostering
- Preventing burnout – by opening your home to children from other foster parents, you’re helping them to mentally recharge and prevent burnout.
- Flexibility – all short break placements are planned in advance, so you’ll know when you have foster children coming to stay. This allows you to better plan the placements around any other commitments that you have.
- Easier commitment – short breaks give you more flexibility with your day-to-day life, and don’t demand as much commitment as a long-term foster placement.
- Wider support network – you can build trust and encourage a positive relationship with foster children, making them feel like they have a wider support network should they need it.
- Stability – having the same foster child come to stay with you whenever their foster parents need to take a short break will be highly beneficial to their wellbeing. It will give them a better sense of stability and safety to know they’re going somewhere they’ve been before, where they feel comfortable.
Things to consider
- Availability – Short breaks can be required at any time to fit in with the main foster parent or birth family. Many people believe that if they work full time they can offer short break care, just at the weekend, but this isn’t always possible. During school holidays, especially over the summer, there is higher demand for short break fostering during the week too.
Other types of fostering
If you’re wanting to explore more of a commitment when it comes to your fostering journey, there are lots of other different types of fostering placements for you to consider. These include:
- Long-term placements – these can last from two years to until your foster child turns 18.
- Fostering siblings – keeping children together in the same fostering placement can be massively beneficial to their wellbeing and mental health.
- Parent and child fostering – mothers and babies may need your assistance and support for a variety of reasons, and you can help them to stay together long-term by teaching them parenting skills.
- Sanctuary seeking fostering – caring for young asylum seekers can help to give them the stability they need to build a brighter future.
- Disability fostering – this involves caring for a child with a disability, which could be physical, mental, or health needs.
- Emergency fostering – often at short notice, emergency placements are for children who are at immediate risk.
Have you got what it takes to make a difference in a child’s life?
Do you think you could open your heart and home to children in need for either short-term or short break fostering? There are lots of different types of fostering that you can cater for as a foster parent, if you’re curious to explore this rewarding role.
If you’ve thought about fostering but aren’t sure where to get started, Fostering People can help. Simply fill out an enquiry form on our website or give us a ring on 0800 077 8159 to speak to one of our friendly advisors.
Taking that all important first step could make a difference in a young person’s life.
