Types of foster care
Foster carers can be approved to provide one or more different types of fostering and for more than one child or young person.
Within Aberdeenshire, foster carers are approved to provide care to children and young people within specific age bandings, these are:
- 0-6 years
- 5-12 years
- 11-18 years
Foster carers can be approved to provide care to children and young people in one, two or all three age bandings.
Interim and long-term foster care
Interim foster carers support babies, children, and young people for periods ranging from a single day to several months, up to a maximum of 24 months whilst assessments are completed to assess whether they can live with parents or other family members. This involves working in partnership with parents, families, social work, health and education professionals.
For children who cannot return home or move to stay with family or friends (kinship care), long-term foster carers offer a stable, loving family environment that can last for years, supporting them throughout childhood until they are ready to live independently.
Short break foster care
If you are thinking about fostering, providing short break stays can be a good way to begin your fostering journey. Short break foster carers look after children for a few days, perhaps over a weekend or during holiday periods to support the child’s family or foster carers. This can be a one-off stay, or a regular, planned arrangement.
Permanent foster care
Often if a child or young person is unable to return to live with their family, their foster carers may express a wish to be assessed as permanent foster carers for the child.
Permanent foster care offers stability and security for the child throughout their childhood, and into adulthood legally secured via a court order. Many children and young people in permanent foster care will have ongoing relationships and contact with their family members, including siblings.
Emergency foster care
Emergency foster carers can be asked to take children or young people into their home at short notice, outwith office hours, during an evening or at the weekend.
For many children accommodated on an emergency basis, there will be immediate concerns for their safety and wellbeing. Emergency foster carers will generally have some experience of fostering.
Kinship care
Kinship care, or 'family and friends foster care', is the term used when a child is cared for by a close friend or relative. Our kinship care service assesses and supports the carer and child as a family, known as the kinship family, as well as promoting the safety and welfare of children and young people.