Find out about the different types of foster care in North Yorkshire.

There are different types of foster care. We work together with you to decide the best fit for you and your family, including deciding what age group, gender or number of children you are best suited to look after.

You will receive full training, support and guidance, no matter which type you choose. You also get fees and allowances to help give a caring, loving and supportive home.

Just so you know, in North Yorkshire, we do have more older children in care and not as many babies/toddlers. Find out more about the children we have looking for foster carers.

First of all, we have different types of fostering which each have a different commitment of your time.

Short-term fostering

Most of the children who need foster care require a place to stay for a short period, usually between three months and two years. This is while their situation is assessed and long-term arrangements are made such as going back to their families or moving on to adoption. Foster carers need to be able to make children feel safe and at home during this time, and to help day-to-day life carry on as well as possible.

Long-term fostering

Sometimes, children are unable to return to live with their families and will either go to be placed with adopters on a permanent basis or will be looked after by foster carers until they reach adulthood. Providing stability, care and support throughout childhood is one of the most rewarding aspects of permanent or long-term foster care, helping vulnerable children grow into happy and secure young adults.

Emergency fostering

Sometimes children will need somewhere to stay at very short notice. When this happens it is often just for a few days. This could start at the weekend or in the middle of the night, so carers offering emergency placements need to be flexible and prepared to open their home with little notice.

Short breaks fostering/planned sleepovers

Short breaks fostering and regular planned sleepovers give parents/carers looking after children with additional needs the chance to spend time focusing on their own lives and the opportunity to relax and recharge for a weekend or a few days.

As part of our fostering service, we offer pre planned short break support and regular sleepovers for children and young people with additional needs.

These fostering short breaks take place in the homes of approved short break foster carers who specialise in supporting disabled children and their families. Short breaks are generally for regular weekends or overnight stays and sometimes for outreach support or day care between overnight stays. We ask that short breaks carers can offer at least three full days and nights per month, which we would work with you to fit around your job or lifestyle.

The aim is to ensure that the children have a positive experience, their needs are met and they are given the opportunity to access new experiences and meet new people. The skills, experience and interests of carers are matched with the needs and interests of the children and this type of caring might suit active couples who are keen to support local families.

Short break foster care is pre-planned and provides invaluable support to disabled children and their families who often find they all benefit from regular breaks – this also helps to prevent family breakdown with our carers often building strong bonds with our families.

Short break carers are specially recruited, assessed, trained and supported. They may have experience caring for children with additional needs in either their personal or work life, but this is not essential, as appropriate training can also be provided along with generous financial packages.

Specialist foster care

Receive up to £840 per week as a specialist foster carer

At Fostering North Yorkshire we are urgently looking for people with significant experience working with or caring for young people with challenging needs to join our well established and supportive team of foster carers as a specialist foster carer.

You could have worked in professions such as youth work, teaching, social work, or social care - or you may have already fostered and wish to progress your skill set on to specialist care. If so, we would love to hear from you.

A specialist foster carer, caring for a child aged between 16 and 18 would receive fees and allowances totalling over £840 per week, equivalent to over £43k annually, plus extra payments for birthdays, festivals and holidays.

Specialist foster caring is a full time role for an individual (this can be split between couples), supporting local young people with challenging and complex behaviours.

No Wrong Door

This is not as hands-on as fostering so suits people who may be working full or part-time. No Wrong Door replaces traditional council-run children’s homes. They are hubs which combine residential care with fostering. Find out more about No Wrong Door

Want to keep in touch?

We run regular fostering information session events, which are a great way to chat with our team over a cuppa and ask any questions you may have.

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