Becoming a respite fosterer

[SentientCushion]

Hello all,

I'm really considering becoming a fosterer. DH and I have no desire to have children of our own but feel that we would like to help some children. I am heartbroken by how under resourced the social system is and want give something back. We have a spare room that we would be happy to set up as a child's room and are just wondering how respite fostering works, does anyone do this? Do you have to give up work to do this?

With the LA I foster for, you don't have to give up work for respite care, but you do need to commit to a certain number of weekends and school holiday weeks per year. I can't remember how many this is, but I imagine all LAs are different anyway...worth giving yours a call to find out their expectations. Good luck.

Suggest you contact Fosterline (google) should too be the best too talk too and advice you., ' can go independent FA. , LA ., or Private.
All ways you will have too have training , standards , Insurance and in some areas OFSTED registration.
There is Therapeutic rest bite care. community rest bite. Not all are in care, parents of sick children may need a break as will foster carer's
Good luck.

I'd enquire with your local authority but also be aware that there are other options if you don't feel confident about your LA's training / support. There are non-profit / charity fostering agencies, there are also business who make a profit out of foster care.

If you're thinking you want to help social services and do just respite, I would try your local authority first as they are most in need of good carers. It's more expensive for them to place with agencies, and agencies as a result often have harder-to-place children (sibling groups, teenagers, disabilities or behavioural issues). This is not always the case though!

I am approved for respite but haven't had a respite placement yet, so I can't help you with what it's actually like. But remember that the children may act very differently with you (when they're on 'holiday') than they do with their regular foster carer!