Types of fostering

There are many different types of fostering available in Torbay. We always need all types of fostering families. 

Emergency 

Sometimes we need to move a child from their home suddenly. This may be because of unexpected circumstances. It may be that it has come to light that they have been victims of abuse. These placements may be for as little as one night while we find a more permanent place to stay. 

Short term 

This is the kind of care that most of our foster carers provide. Stays can be anything from a few days to a few months, to over a year. 

Long term 

Children may remain in long term foster care. This happens when a court rules that they cannot go back to live with their birth parents. Long term fostering is often the best care plan for a child if adoption is unlikely. This may be due to factors such as:  

• the child's age 

• no viable family or friends to put forward for assessment 

One or more children from the same family can stay with the same foster carer until they reach adulthood. 

Stay Over/Respite 

Sometimes people work full-time and are not available to care for a child during the week. They can still contribute by becoming stayover - also known as respite - foster carers. They usually provide weekend or holiday care for children. This could be for parents need extra support, or for their main foster carers. This can be for a variety of reasons. However, sometimes there may be a need for care one evening a week. 

Short breaks 

This is usually a service for children with physical and/or learning difficulties, who live at home with their parents. It is part of their care plan to stay with a short break carer.  In most cases this will be on a regular basis. This is so:  

• the family can build a trusting relationship with you 

• the child can feel reassured with a familiar and enjoyable routine of coming to stay in your home 

• the child gets to be part of your family 

We will assess your home for disability access. Experience of working with children with additional physical, learning or health needs is desirable. 

Parent and Child 

Occasionally we need fostering placements for parents and their children – usually young babies. This is when the foster carer provides a place to stay whilst we assess their parenting ability. This type of fostering arrangement:  

• provides stability and support to help parents get the skills and knowledge they need as parents 

• means we can monitor progress as part of our work in making future plans for the child   

This type of assessment is for 12 weeks in duration but can be longer if required.  

Connected Foster Carers 

Also referred to as Kinship and Family and Friends care. Sometimes a parent is unable to look after their child. The child becomes looked after by us as a local authority. Sometimes it is possible for a family member or friend to take care of the child whilst:  

• the parents are undertaking various assessments 

• a legal process is taking place to determine the long-term plan for the child 

People who take on this role become approved as the child’s official ‘Connected’ foster carer. They are expected to be able to work with Torbay’s care plan. We do this via an assessment and approval process.  Connected Carers receive allowances and support from us. There is also training available. 

Host Families 

Do you have spare room in your home? We are searching for rooms for 16 to 25 year olds in need. To give them a safe place to sleep and keep them off the streets. 

In return, you will receive support, training and generous weekly payments. You will also have the opportunity to share your home and life experiences. You could change a young person's life. 

For more information, please contact Young Devon: Call 01752 691511  

Private Fostering 

Private fostering is an arrangement where a child under the age of 16 (or 18 if the child has a disability) lives in the care of:  

• someone who is not the child’s parent(s) 

• a person with parental responsibility for the child 

• a relative of the child for a period of 28 days or more 

Private foster carers can be from the extended family, e.g. a cousin or a great aunt. 

If a child lives with someone as defined above for more than 28 days, the local authority must be notified. We must be satisfied that the placement is appropriate, and that the child is safe. To be considered ‘private fostering,’ the child must live with that person for more than 28 days. This must be continuous but can include brief breaks. 

Some examples of private fostering are: 

• Children living with a friend’s family because of difficulties at home. 

• Teenagers living with the family of a boyfriend or girlfriend.  

• Children living with a parent’s partner when the parent leaves the home. For example, if the parent is imprisoned. 

• Children staying with a distant relative when their parents go abroad for an extended visit. A distant relative could be a great aunt/uncle or great grandparent, cousin. 

The suitability of any private fostering placement must be formally assessed. The child’s social worker completes the assessment alongside the fostering team. Their focus is on the suitability of the adult carers the child is staying with. 

The fostering panel do not need to approve this. It is ongoing support though and this means there must be regular reviews by the child’s social worker. This is to make sure the placement continues to meet the child’s needs.