What is parent and child fostering?
Parent and child fostering is where you would help develop a parent’s skills to look after their child and they would learn from you. Parents in this situation have often come from the care system themselves and do not have a good parenting role model to learn their skills from. They may also not have a good support network around them during this time.
These are usually short-term placements, up to 12 weeks but they can last for longer.
As a parent and child foster carer, you would need to provide some hands-on mentoring and be available around the clock to support the parent and their, usually young, child.
You are helping to assess the mother or father with their child in your home so you would submit regular observations to support their development.
Parent and child fostering: a case study
Davina is 16. She has been in care since she was eight-years-old because her father died when she was young and her mother had mental health issues and was unable to look after her. Davina has now had a child of her own. Because she hasn’t got her own support network to help her bring up her child, we need a foster carer to look after Davina and her new baby in their home. Davina can then have the support and guidance to look after her baby and keep them safe.
Could you be a parent and child foster carer?
In Reading, we need people who could become a foster carer who could mentor and assess a parent with their child. You would need a spare bedroom and, ideally, a bathroom that the parent and child could have to themselves. We will provide you with training.
If this is something that you would like to consider or you would like to learn more, please do give us a call and chat to our fostering team about the options. We’re available Monday to Friday from 9am til 5pm on 0300 131 2797. Or fill in our enquiry form and we’ll get in touch with you.