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Most children who are being looked after by their local authority will go to live with a foster family (about three quarters of looked after children live with foster families). |
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Foster care – what is it?
Most children who are being looked after by their local authority will go to live with a foster family (about three quarters of looked after children live with foster families).
That means you go to live with another family in their own home. There might be one or two parents, and they might have children of their own, and they might be looking after other foster children too.
Foster parents can be all sorts of people - old or young, rich or poor, lots of different races and religions, single or living with someone, straight or gay.
Before you go to live with a foster carer your social worker has to make sure that:
• The foster carers have been approved. This means that they have had lots of checks done on them by specially trained social workers and that they have been trained themselves on how to be a good foster carer.
• The foster carer has been approved to look after children of your age and can meet your needs.
• The foster carer has signed an agreement promising to keep to the rules expected of them by Government and by the people that have approved them (this might be the local authority or it might be a charity or company that the local authority pays to do fostering for them).
Social workers should try to find foster carers for you who they think you will fit with well and who you’ll enjoy living with.
You will be taken care of by the foster parents who will involve you in their family life. The law says that they must treat you kindly and fairly, and in return they will want you to respect and follow their family rules – which might be quite different from what you’re used to. Some looked after children find that they need time to get used to living with a family with very different ways of doing things from their own family.
Being looked after works better when you understand what your carers expect from you (like what rules are important to them, and what behaviour they won’t put up with) and what you can expect from them. It makes it nicer if you try to respect the home, the rules and the people caring for you. In turn they will treat you with respect.
If they have their own children, foster carers must not treat you less well than them because that wouldn’t be fair.
Your first foster home might only be for a short time, while your social worker tries to find a good place for you to live for the rest of the time you are being looked after away from your own family home.
You should have a choice about the next place you go to live. Once a good place is found for you, you should not be moved again unless you’re unhappy there or the foster family becomes unable to look after you.
[BOXOUTS ABOUT FOSTER CARE]
‘I came into care when I was 12. It was scary and I hated meeting new people and their families. My first carer was very nice but I love my new carers much more. They have their own daughter and there are two other girls living here too. I love being in care now, they help me do things like clubs after school, meeting up with old friends and making new friends. When I knew I was coming into care I thought it would be a children’s home, a big house with loads of other children and teenagers, but I am glad it’s not like that. I love my new school too.’ Lauren, 14
‘Even though I found it really difficult to begin with I think care was a positive experience for me. I was placed with really nice carers and they looked after me for the whole time I was in care. They are still there for me now, even though I’m living in my own place.’ Liam, 19
‘I was in care for 4 years. I lived with foster parents, who were brilliant. I enjoyed being there so much that I didn’t ever want to leave. They gave me lots of support. I changed from a quiet, nervous teenager into a confident young man.’ Lee, 20
‘I have made good friends since being in care and I love my foster mum and dad very much!’ Amie, 10.
Most children who are being looked after by their local authority will go to live with a foster family (about three quarters of looked after children live with foster families).
That means you go to live with another family in their own home. There might be one or two parents, and they might have children of their own, and they might be looking after other foster children too.
Foster parents can be all sorts of people - old or young, rich or poor, lots of different races and religions, single or living with someone, straight or gay.
Before you go to live with a foster carer your social worker has to make sure that:
• The foster carers have been approved. This means that they have had lots of checks done on them by specially trained social workers and that they have been trained themselves on how to be a good foster carer.
• The foster carer has been approved to look after children of your age and can meet your needs.
• The foster carer has signed an agreement promising to keep to the rules expected of them by Government and by the people that have approved them (this might be the local authority or it might be a charity or company that the local authority pays to do fostering for them).
Social workers should try to find foster carers for you who they think you will fit with well and who you’ll enjoy living with.
You will be taken care of by the foster parents who will involve you in their family life. The law says that they must treat you kindly and fairly, and in return they will want you to respect and follow their family rules – which might be quite different from what you’re used to. Some looked after children find that they need time to get used to living with a family with very different ways of doing things from their own family.
Being looked after works better when you understand what your carers expect from you (like what rules are important to them, and what behaviour they won’t put up with) and what you can expect from them. It makes it nicer if you try to respect the home, the rules and the people caring for you. In turn they will treat you with respect.
If they have their own children, foster carers must not treat you less well than them because that wouldn’t be fair.
Your first foster home might only be for a short time, while your social worker tries to find a good place for you to live for the rest of the time you are being looked after away from your own family home.
You should have a choice about the next place you go to live. Once a good place is found for you, you should not be moved again unless you’re unhappy there or the foster family becomes unable to look after you.
[BOXOUTS ABOUT FOSTER CARE]
‘I came into care when I was 12. It was scary and I hated meeting new people and their families. My first carer was very nice but I love my new carers much more. They have their own daughter and there are two other girls living here too. I love being in care now, they help me do things like clubs after school, meeting up with old friends and making new friends. When I knew I was coming into care I thought it would be a children’s home, a big house with loads of other children and teenagers, but I am glad it’s not like that. I love my new school too.’ Lauren, 14
‘Even though I found it really difficult to begin with I think care was a positive experience for me. I was placed with really nice carers and they looked after me for the whole time I was in care. They are still there for me now, even though I’m living in my own place.’ Liam, 19
‘I was in care for 4 years. I lived with foster parents, who were brilliant. I enjoyed being there so much that I didn’t ever want to leave. They gave me lots of support. I changed from a quiet, nervous teenager into a confident young man.’ Lee, 20
‘I have made good friends since being in care and I love my foster mum and dad very much!’ Amie, 10.
