Short term fostering can range between 1 night to 6 months and may be linked to specific tasks to be achieved with the child who is placed. Placements are often planned but allowances are made for unforeseen circumstances where an emergency placement is needed.
Extends beyond the short-term description for identified reasons that cannot always be determined at the outset of a child coming in to care. A placement may prolong whilst the final care plan of a child is under ratification.
Long term placements are provided where it has been determined that a child may not be returning to live with their birth family and will require substitute carers to nurture and guide the child through maturation.
Homestead fostering agency employs staff that are trained and experienced in the area of observation, monitoring and support of contact arrangement. Staff are competent in the area of assessment and report writing and are able to produce for the court, when required, reports which are of a high standard.
Staff are fully vetted with enhanced CRB checks.
Offer the opportunity for a child with special needs to spend time away from his/her main care giver on whom the demands of caring is often great. The benefits are designed to be positively reciprocal in nature. Not only does respite enable a care giver to replenish their energy reserve, it also enables the child to make new friendships and receive added stimulation outside the home.
Short term breaks and emergency relief is also expanded to provide early intervention to family in the event of a crisis such as the hospitalisation of a care giver, significant other family member, or to a child/young person who has specifically asked for time out from living with their care giver. In many cases respite support helps to minimise total breakdown of the family unit.
Homestead Fostering Agency is committed to working in partnership with local authorities in the planning and facilitating of introducing the child to the foster carer prior to the placement. Homestead Fostering Agency supports foster carers in their attendance at planning meetings and ensures that the requirements of the child/young person’s health, diet and other care needs are known.
Homestead Fostering Agency will present form F to the local authority permanency panels if required.
Staff are fully vetted with enhanced CRB checks.