This is a myth – fostering and adoption are different. Fostering is the provision of a safe environment for a child or young person when they are unable to remain in the birth families home.
Fostering is taking a child into your home temporarily until they can return to their own family or move on to live with a relative or adopted parent.
The time spent in foster care for a child or young person can vary dramatically from emergency fostering, in which a child will usually stay for one or two days following an unexpected event, to short-term fostering where a child will stay while the care proceedings decide on a permanent home or long-term fostering, where the child’s home situation is unlikely to improve and they may even stay until they’re ready to live independently. The length of time a child spends in foster care is dependent on the individual needs of the child or young person and will differ between children. Adoption, on the other hand, legally gives a child a new family when living with their own family is not possible, the child becomes a full member of their new family. They take the surname and assume the same rights and privileges as if they had been born into the family including the right of inheritance.
Can you foster? Can you change lives? There is a constant need for foster carers with a shortfall of around 9,000 in this year alone. Don’t delay; start the process today.
Find out if you fit the criteria to foster by completing our quick online survey. (only 11 tick box questions)
Call Fosterline in confidence to find out more about becoming a foster carer on 0800 040 7675. Qualified Fosterline Advisers are available 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.