Parent and child fostering is a specialised form of care within the fostering landscape. It involves providing a safe and supportive environment for both a parent and their child, often a mother and baby, to learn essential parenting skills and bond while receiving guidance and support from experienced foster carers.
This nurturing setting empowers parents to develop the skills they need to provide a stable and loving home for their child, preventing family breakdowns and enhancing the child’s overall well-being.
Parent and child fostering focuses on equipping parents with crucial life skills, including child care, communication, and independent living skills. As a foster carer, your role will be to offer a secure space for the parent to practise parenting under supervision while receiving guidance and mentoring.
Before being placed, both the parent and the child undergo thorough assessments to determine their needs, strengths, and challenges. This assessment helps in understanding the level of support required. They are then matched with foster carers based on compatibility, skills, and the specific needs of the family.
You’ll work closely with the parent to teach essential parenting skills, such as feeding, setting routines, and understanding a child’s developmental needs. The ultimate goal of parent and child fostering is to empower the parent to become an independent caregiver.
As progress is made, plans are developed to transition the parent and child back into the community, equipped with the skills they need for successful parenting.
Parent and child fostering not only transforms the lives of the parent and their child, but also contributes to the well-being of the broader community by preventing family breakdowns.
By providing a platform for learning and growth, parent and child fostering ensures that families have the tools they need to overcome challenges, strengthen bonds, and build a positive foundation for the future.
If you feel able to provide a nurturing, non-judgmental environment that supports a parent’s growth, can offer practical guidance on parenting skills, emotional support, and life skills, and have the patience to help a parent build their confidence and skills over time, then parent and child fostering may be for you.
Footprints will support you every step of the way with personalised 24/7 support, excellent financial rewards and an unparalleled knowledge of local resources and services. Contact us to find out more.
Footprints Foster Care Ltd
Registered Company No 07879639
Longham Business Park
168 Ringwood Road
Ferndown
Dorset BH22 9BU
Please do not be anxious about contacting us
– we promise not to put you under any pressure. We are happy to answer your questions and we need to ask questions to make sure that you meet some basic criteria, such as do you have a spare bedroom and live in the right area?
Assuming that these basic criteria are met and you are happy to proceed, we will arrange to come and meet you at your home.
The home visit usually lasts 1-2 hours and gives both parties the chance to ask lots of questions. We find out more about you and you find out more about us and what we can offer. If everyone is happy to proceed you will be given an application form to complete.
If however, having found out more about fostering, you decide that you do not wish to proceed, then do not feel embarrassed to say so. We will also be honest and let you know if we do not feel it is in your interests to proceed.
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If you decide to proceed, you will complete an application form and go into the assessment process. This can take between 3–6 months and is undertaken by a qualified social worker.
It is a thorough process and one which helps people understand what has shaped their lives, prepares them for the challenge of fostering and determines their motivation to foster. As part of this process, we will also undertake statutory checks and personal references, including police checks, personal and employment references and medicals.
The social worker will also meet with your personal referees, members of your household and any adult children you have living away from home to ensure they fully support your intentions to foster.
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During the assessment period, you will have the opportunity to attend the Skills to Foster™ course that provides the foundation for future learning and development, as well as giving you the confidence to undertake your first placement.
You will also be required to complete a portfolio of evidence to support your assessment.
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After stage 3 has been completed, your assessment and portfolio will be presented to a Fostering Panel. The panel is made of experienced social work practitioners and independent members, who will have carefully considered the report in advance of the panel.
You and your assessor will both attend the fostering panel to enable panel members to meet you, address any points for clarification and hear any final questions you may have.
If the panel is satisfied the requirements regarding your suitability to foster are met, they will make a recommendation to approve you as a foster carer.
The ultimate decision to approve lies with the agency decision maker, who will carefully consider the recommendation made by the fostering panel.
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