Short term, long term, alternative care and baby only fostering.
Short term fostering
As a short term foster carer, you might look after a child for one night or several months, often up to 2 years.
Short term foster carers look after children whose families are going through temporary problems, while a court decides where the children should live.
You would foster the child until a court decides if they can go back to their family, be adopted or stay in long term foster care, either with you or with another foster carer, until they turn 18 years old.
Long term fostering
Some children and young people cannot return to their families for several years, or at all. Long term care offers them the stability and security they need to grow, learn and thrive in a consistent home environment where they can build lasting relationships.
As a long term foster carer, you'll care for a child for as long as they need. In some cases this may be until they're 18 years old or older. If you've been caring for a child for some years and everyone agrees they should stay with you beyond their 18th birthday we'll support you to make this happen. This is called a ‘staying put' arrangement.
Long term foster care may be for you if you'd like to make a more permanent commitment to help and care for a young person until adulthood.
If there are no plans for the child to return to the care of their parents, you may wish to consider applying for a legal order, such as a special guardianship order. The legal order would give you parental responsibility which is shared with the parents, and a long-term secure home for the child. The child would no longer be in the care of Bristol City Council and this is likely to mean alternative financial and practical support from children's services than if you remain a long term foster carer.
To find out more about special guardianship orders, go to Kinship Bristol.
Alternative care
Alternative care is when you foster a child for a short time, during weekends and school holidays. The child you care for would be staying with you overnight.
Sometimes children need to stay with a foster family to give their permanent carers a break. Through alternative breaks, children can meet new people, make new friends and get involved in different activities.
Alternative care could suit you if you can't make a full-time commitment, but still want to foster.
Baby only fostering
Fostering babies is a demanding role with a lot of responsibility. It's a role for an experienced foster carer with additional skills. We'll also give you extra training. If you want to foster a baby, you might also consider fostering young children.
Babies often arrive with foster parents at very short notice. They need:
- a safe space
- a high level of care that will comfort and nurture them
- stimulation in order to learn
They'll be learning language skills, a sense of self and other essential skills for life. Babies require an intense attachment from their caregivers, so it can be a wrench to hand them over to their birth parents or adoptive parents.
Although you need a spare room for most types of foster care, if you don't have a spare room but have ample space in your home and are available full time, fostering babies under 3 years old might be for you.
If you have any questions or would like an informal chat, contact our fostering team.
Call:
0117 353 4200
Email:
Form:
What our Bristol carers say about alternative care
"You can foster part time, giving children the opportunity to develop positive relationships with you while their carers have well deserved breaks. The child gets to experience weekends away doing new activities, playing with different children and spending time with another trusted adult. By offering weekend breaks you become part of both the child and carer's extended family - a bit like grandparents having their grandson for the weekend so Mum can relax."
