Short break foster care
What is short break fostering?
Short break’ is defined as ‘a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or challenging’. It’s a perfect description for respite fostering, which is where a foster carer takes on the care and support of a child or young person so that the usual foster carer can take a well-deserved break. We offer all of our foster carers respite care every year, so there’s an on-going need for respite foster carers to step in on a regular basis with short break care for children and young people.
For foster carers (and birth parents) who look after children with particularly complex challenges, respite care is absolutely priceless. These are always short-term fostering placements, often for just a night, sometimes for a long weekend, occasionally for a week or even two. These breaks are all planned well in advance, giving short break foster carers plenty of time to make arrangements, so it’s ideal if you’re not able to be a full time foster carer.
In all cases, the child will come to your home, and they’ll almost certainly be local. Over time, you’ll probably support the same children regularly, so you’ll get to know each other well making it easier and better for everyone. And while it always causes some upheaval for the children, a new environment can also be a useful and stimulating learning experience. The biggest reward of all however, is knowing you’re making a real and lasting difference to a young person.
Are you thinking of fostering?
Download the FCA’s complete beginner’s guide to fostering a child. Find out more on how to foster a child and the process involved.
How to become a short break foster carer
To become a foster carer the first step is to fill out our online form and we’ll be in touch to talk to you more about fostering, check you meet the initial criteria to foster and of course answer any questions you may have.
Our team will then arrange to visit you at home, so find out in more depth about fostering and also give us the opportunity to get to know you better. You’ll then need to fill in an application form and, if accepted, you’ll start your full fostering assessment.
Interested in becoming a foster carer with FCA Scotland?
Do you have the skills and flexibility to be a respite foster parent?
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Short Break Fostering Allowances
You’ll receive a generous fostering payment for every week a child or young person is in your care, designed to reward your professionalism and commitment.
Other types of fostering
Asylum seeking children
Fostering unaccompanied asylum-seeking children can be extremely rewarding experience as you provide them with a safe and secure home environment. Your role is to support them for as long as they need, helping them adapt to a new culture.
Fostering siblings
Keeping brothers and sisters together after being placed in foster care is crucial. This type of fostering focuses on matching sibling groups with foster homes big enough for multiple foster children and foster parents who are capable of meeting their needs.
Emergency Foster Care
Sometimes children need a safe place to stay in the event of an emergency, often with little to no warning. Emergency foster care provides them with that much-needed security when they need it most.
Short break fostering
Also known as respite fostering, this is where a foster carer takes on the care and support of a child or young person so that the usual foster carer can take a well-deserved break. We offer all of our foster carers respite care every year.
Continuing care
Continuing Care takes children through to the age of 21, ensuring a more seamless and supported transition to adulthood. It’s available to all young people who are, or have been, in a continuing relationship with a foster carer.
Solo fostering
In some cases, it’s often important for the child or young person to be a ‘solo’ placement - in other words, they’re the only child in the home. That means solo fostering is usually only suitable for foster carers without other children in their home.
Specialist fostering
Calling for huge amounts of care, compassion and patience, this type of fostering often involves handling medications and managing complex care routines, so it’s especially demanding on your time and commitment.
Linda's Foster Story
Linda, a foster carer from North Lanarkshire, has been reflecting on her 18-year fostering journey and the assistance she has received from FCA Scotland. Having previously worked as a childminder and arranging her schedule around her son, Linda now serves as a short-break carer for FCA Scotland.
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