This is difficult.
Having found himself unemployed in his 50's, My BIL has become a "respite foster carer", so he can be at home, manage his small-holding/hobby farm, but still have an income.
It means that he will be asked to take on kids (with learning/behaviour difficulties) who are in foster homes, for respite care for a few days at a time.
My Sis came up with this idea, now that their daughter is in late teens.
TBH we were surprised they went down this route. Their life with their daughter (she was adopted) has always been fraught, and they are not exactly the most maternal/paternal people in the world, and frankly, we feel that they are only in it for the money.
They had there first 'caree' last weekend, and took him out somewhere with them. There was a funfair there, but they didn't let him go on anything, because "We don't get paid back for those kind of things". If you have an 8 y.o. boy at a funfair, bloody hell, don't you pay for 2 or 3 rides ???
They are being paid an amount per day to have this child, so it seems a bit mean that they won't pay for a couple of rides. OK, I don't know what they are being paid per day, but I gather it's pretty well worth it.
Anyway, I'm just afraid that they will do the minimum required to keep the child in their care safe and fed, but will always have an eye to the money, and not "what's the child going to like"
OK, what they do is up to them, but my Mum and I are a bit more ... soft? ... with kids, and think their harder approach will upset us.
And it's no good saying "don't discuss it with them", cos I know that the first time they have problems with a kid, Sis will use my mother to release steam to, IYSWIM.