Children who need foster care

Children come into care for many different reasons.

A child could need foster care for a short time because of a parent's short-term illness. Or they might need long-term care because it is not safe for them to return to their family home.

Children can be fostered from their birth up until their 18th birthday. Each child has different needs, and our foster carers use their skills and experience to give them effective care and support.

Siblings

We work hard to keep sibling groups together whenever possible.

Brothers and sisters do better if they can stay together in foster care. It means they can comfort, reassure, and support each other. This can reduce feelings of loss and separation at what can be a particularly difficult and stressful time in their lives. It can give them a greater sense of stability moving forward.

As a foster carer, there may be practical things you need to consider when taking in a sibling group - like needing extra spare bedrooms or a larger car. But the rewards for you and your family can be life-long and priceless.

Young people

A significant number of children who need foster care are young people aged 13 to 17.

They need foster carers who are available, flexible, committed, and able to provide nurturing care with strong boundaries. The rewards of success are big for foster carers and young people alike.

Find out more about fostering young people 

Children with disabilities

Providing a stable, secure, and nurturing family home can help children and young people with disabilities or long-term health conditions to thrive.

Fostering a child with disabilities can be challenging. We provide specialist training, advice and support to help foster carers at every step.

Find out more about fostering children with disabilities 

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children

There is a high demand for foster carers to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC). These are children and young people who have fled their country of origin without the care or protection of their parents.

These children and young people need resilient, patient carers. They need someone who can support their emotional, language, and cultural needs. In turn, we support foster carers by providing:

• Specialist training 
• Links to a wide range of services and community organisations

As a foster carer, you can help these vulnerable young people deal with their experiences. Supporting them to thrive, build a new life in a new country, and go on to live fulfilling lives is very rewarding.