There are many reasons why children come into the care of Children's Services and need to live with foster carers. This may be because their parents are finding it difficult to bring up a family, they might be having relationship problems, they maybe sick or have mental health difficulties, or someone may have accidentally or knowingly injured their child.

The length of time a child may stay with a foster carer will vary from a few days to several months, or even longer - possibly a year or more, if the situation is complicated.

Short term foster care

This is when carers look after children temporarily, while plans are made for the child's future. Sometimes this can involve looking after children in emergencies, when they need somewhere safe to stay for a few nights.

Long term foster care and permanence

Not all children who need to permanently live away from their birth family want to be adopted, so instead they go into long-term foster care to live with you until they are adults. We are always looking to find ways to help children feel stable and settled so we encourage long term carers to think about legal orders to claim the child as part of their family.

Respite care

This is when children who need one off or regular time away from their foster carers (or sometimes their birth family) stay with respite carers for a short period such as a weekend or a week or so.

Short breaks for disabled children

When disabled children, children with disabilities or children with complex health problems regularly stay for a short time (such as a weekend) with a family, so that their parents or usual foster carers can have a break.

Private fostering

A child who is not the responsibility of the local authority goes to live with someone arranged by their parents. The council must be notified of this arrangement and look to see that it is safe for the child.

Kinship or Family and Friends Care

This is an arrangement agreed by the local authority for a child to live with someone that they already know, which usually means extended family members such as grandparents, aunts and uncles or their brother or sister. In some situations this helps children to move out of care, in others they stay in care whilst living with their new family or friend's carer.