Types of Fostering

There are numerous ways you can help a child or young person:

Long term fostering – also known as permanent fostering, this refers to looking after a child or young person for an extended period of time.
Short term fostering – short term fostering can be as long as a few months, but may also be as short as a few days.
Emergency fostering – this placement offers immediate short term care, often at short notice.

Respite fostering – this offers other foster cares a break, or respite, from their current fostering placements.
Parent and Child fostering- Parents (mother/father/both) can be placed in foster care together with their baby/child/children. The needs vary but specially trained foster carers look after the parent(s) and child(ren) and ensure safety while the parent(s) are assessed.

"I am proud to be a part of Chrysalis, I find the team supportive and caring. I liked the response that I received and the approach of the first person that I spoke to when I first enquired. I feel like I belong at Chrysalis! I love the agency!"

Lesley, Therapeutic Foster Carer

"My experience with the agency has been far beyond positive. Working along with such a positive team, from management down the line. The acting social workers are always there to help and support myself and my foster child through our journey."

Eni, Therapeutic Foster Carer.

Frequently Asked Questions from single parent carers

Do I need previous experience to foster?

You don’t need any specific qualifications or previous experience with children to become a foster parent – although, it will help you if you do.

What matters to us is your character and personality – your ability to stay calm under pressure, to listen and understand, and to be patient and connect with children and young people. Many people have these skills naturally or have acquired them in their careers.

As part of the assessment process your assessing working will get a pretty good idea about your strengths and any areas for development, so we can put in place the training and support you need to become an outstanding foster parent.

Do I get any breaks or holidays while fostering?

We do offer upto 3 weeks respite, your supervising social worker can give you more details about this. There is also a respite reclaim for any unused respite at the end of the year.

What training will I receive as a foster carer?

All foster carers have access to an extensive training programme annually. As an agency we pride ourselves on providing high quality training that is accessible and relevant to our foster families.

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Whether you’re ready to start your journey or just want to chat to an expert, we're here to talk.