Placements
When you foster a child or young person you are said to be offering a placement.
There are a number of different types of placement depending on the needs of different children. You may be interested in offering a particular type of placement.
Assessment Placements
It is often necessary to assist Local Authority social workers to find out what support/help a child will need for their long-term future care. This can involve the foster carer(s) working closely with their support worker observing children's behaviour and measuring their ability to cope with day-to-day situations. Foster carers will need to keep records of their observations and/or specific incidents of behaviour. Assessment work will often be required where there are Care Proceedings being undertaken by the Local Authority.
Bridging Placements
The term bridging is used to describe the foster placement used by children who are awaiting their permanent placement with an adoptive family. The foster carers task will be to help prepare the child(ren) for this move.
Short Term Placements
This means looking after children for a short period of time from a couple of weeks to a few months while the Local Authority determine whether the child(ren) can return safely to their parents home or whether an alternative long term family needs to be identified.
Long Term Placements
For families who wish to offer an alternative permanent family for children who for whatever reason are unable to return to their birth parents. This requires the carers to look after the children either until they are 18 years old or until they move on to live independently.
Emergency and Respite Placements
Both require short-term placements, minimum one night but can be required for up to 3-4 weeks depending on the reason for the placement. The carers task for these types of placement is usually to provide a place of safety and to provide general care for the child(ren). Emergency placements can be requested at anytime of the day or night.
Parent and Child Placements
Foster carers can sometimes be asked to look after parents and their young child(ren) to assist the Local Authority social workers assess their parenting skills and the potential for the parent to learn/develop the necessary skills to care for the child.
Special Needs Placements
Some children have special needs, perhaps learning difficulties or a physical disability. These children need carers with special skills.
Sibling Groups
We are often asked for families who are able to offer placement for bothers and sisters (siblings) so that they can stay together. Some cares are able to offer placements for two, three or even more children from the same family.
