Short-Term Fostering - Five Rivers Child Care

What is Short-Term Foster Care?

Short-term fostering, sometimes referred to as temporary foster care, means giving a child a safe home when their parents or primary carers can no longer safely look after them.

Short-term foster care gives you the chance to make a huge difference to a child at a time when they are experiencing great change and uncertainty. You will help the child understand their circumstances and come to terms with the changes they are facing, whilst providing stability at a very difficult time. You may only spend a couple of weeks with them, but the impact you have may last a lifetime.

How Long is Short-Term Fostering?

Short-term fostering means giving a child or young person a safe place to stay until they can return to their own family, or until it becomes clear that they need a more permanent or long term care arrangement. This kind of temporary foster care arrangement can range from just a single night to a few weeks, to several months, or sometimes longer.

Short-Term Fostering Support

Short-term fostering allows social workers and other professionals the appropriate time to assess a young person’s circumstances and plan for their longer term care. Temporary foster care will help the child deal with the disruption to their life; they will support them to transition to long term care, or to move back in with their own family.

The stability a Foster Carer can offer children in these situations is invaluable. Training and round-the-clock support will be provided.

Find out more about Foster Carer training and support.

Short-Term Fostering Pay

Not only is short-term fostering incredibly rewarding work but Foster Carers are also financially compensated. Short-term fostering pay is given in the form of a professional fee and a generous fostering allowance.

As a guide, most of our Foster Carers receive approximately £459 per week, per child. However, there are some instances where our carers are paid more, for example specialist fostering, parent and child fostering or respite fostering.

Find out more about Foster Carer pay and allowances.

child in temporary foster care baking cookies

Is Short-Term Fostering for You?

Find out more about short-term fostering by reading Kerry and Tracy’s story. Together the couple have welcomed over 20 children on a short-term basis.

If you are able to provide a home for children and young people who need care and support when faced with uncertainty and disruption in their lives, we would love to hear from you.

Our friendly Carer Enquiry Team are happy to discuss the support, training and other opportunities Five Rivers provides.

Want to learn more about fostering? Get in touch

Give us a Call to Find Out More

Making the decision foster can feel like a big commitment. Register your interest for a no obligation chat about whether short-term fostering could be for you.

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