Diagrama FoundationWhat are the different types of foster care, and which one is right for me?
Here's the thing. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to becoming a foster carer. Our foster carers offer a wide range of short-term, long-term, and respite foster placements to meet the needs of the vulnerable children and young people. Below we aim to answer any questions you may have around the types of foster care provision needed. Whatever you decide is most suited to your situation, know we will be there to support you for as long as you need us.
1.
Short term placements
Short term placements are needed while there is an ongoing legal process to consider the future of the child. This might be a plan for reunification back to family, long term fostering or adoption. Short term can be up to two years.
2.
Long-term placements
Long-term placements offer stability and consistency for children, young people and sibling groups and include young people until 18 years and beyond.
3.
Respite and holiday placements
Caring for children and young people for a very short period of time, maybe overnight, for a weekend or for a fortnight, to help give regular foster carers, birth families and children, rest and support.
4.
Fostering unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASCs)
Our experienced foster carers are fully equipped to manage the various challenges associated with caring for refugee children, including managing any language and cultural barriers and acting as advocates throughout the ensuing legal process.
5.
Fostering for adoption
Diagrama Fostering’s sister agency Diagrama Adoption supports prospective adopters who can consider fostering before adoption – for when adoption looks the likely path for the child in care, but there is still a small chance they could be reunited with their birth family. Please contact our adoption team for more information.
6.
Sibling placements
Offering multiple placements to keep brothers and sisters together. We help our foster carers fully prepare for sibling placements. Keeping siblings together under one roof is a priority for Diagrama Fostering.
7.
Parent & Child Placements
Parent and Child Fostering is a specialist type of fostering where the child (often a very young baby) is placed with their parent(s) for support, guidance and/or assessment as to whether they can successfully parent their child. This is generally a short term, task centered role that requires foster carers to work closely with the birth parent(s) and other professionals to ensure safety for the child whilst enabling the parent to care for their child. Parents can range from teenage parents to more mature parents and the children can be anything from newborns to older children generally under school age.
8.
Special requirements
Placements for children with special needs are provided on a full time or respite basis. Within our team we have foster carers with specific skills and experience to manage a range of special needs
9.
Emergency or unplanned placements
Our emergency placement foster carers will accept children at very short notice – often on the same day – and until longer-term arrangements for care can be made. It is not uncommon for these placements to remain ongoing if this is suitable. If you are from a local authority and have a request for an emergency, unplanned or short notice placement outside of office hours, please, call 07768 372750.
What do people say?
You deserve outstanding support - so that's what we deliver
No matter what type of foster care you decide is right for you, we will be on hand 24/7 to offer you support, guidance and training throughout your journey. You will be valued and listened to. You will never face a challenge alone. As a foster carer with Diagrama you will not only receive excellent training, pay and allowances – you will also benefit from expert support throughout every stage of your fostering career.
