Foster children continue to need quality care across the country on a regular basis. On any given day there are more than 59,000 children living with foster families in the UK. Fostering provides a safe, secure and nurturing family environment, either short- or long-term, to children who need a loving home, allowing them to keep in contact with their own families if they wish.
About Foster Children
There are now more children than ever coming into care, with over 8,000 more in care on any one day now than there were back in 2007. Around two-fifths of the foster children in care are aged 11 to 15, and finding people with the right skills to look after teenagers is now the top priority for fostering services.
Why do children need foster care?
Children come into care for a whole range of reasons, and as such every child and their situation is different. Examples of why a child might be placed into care include a family member’s short-term illness or a parent’s depression or drug and alcohol misuse. Some children may have been abused or neglected.
Foster carers can give families a chance to sort out their problems by providing children with a home and supportive family for as long as they need. In many cases foster carers can make a huge difference in the lives of these children and can act as responsible role models, providing a level of support and care that a child may not have experienced before.
Foster children in care
When a child is taken into care, the local authority (or health and social care (HSC) trust in Northern Ireland) becomes responsible for his or her welfare. Social workers then work with families to ensure that the needs of the child are met and that the foster family can provide all the necessary support for that child to grow and develop – with the aim that children and parents can be reunited.