Is being a respite foster carer for you?
Whilst a child is in care, their foster parents may need to take some valuable time out either to recharge their batteries, deal with family circumstances, or have time to heal from illness. It’s at these times we would reach out to our respite families to have the child or children come and stay for a short period of time in respite foster care. Stays could be just overnight or potentially for a week or two; some children receive regular respite.
During their stay, the respite carer takes on all the usual duties of the primary foster carer. This includes keeping daily routines and structure in place to provide stability for the child. Tasks may include the school run, after school activities, contact with birth family and attending health appointments.
We also encourage our respite carers to build positive relationships with the young people they care for. One way to do this is by involving them in everyday parts of the carer’s own life.
Here are a few quotes our respite carers would like to share:
“As respite foster parents, every child we have looked after has had a positive impact on our lives.”
“We aim to find out about the child’s routine, likes/dislikes before their stay from their main foster parent(s) and/or the agency so that we can maintain consistency and, if possible, meet them in an environment which is most comfortable for them; this can be a visit to our home or their home or a meeting in a park/public space.”
“A meal together at the table or a slice of cake creates a warm welcome for our foster children on arrival.”
“We have enjoyed many long walks through woods, parks, and countryside with our foster children and sometimes together with our extended family. For those older children who like animals, we have walked rescue greyhound dogs. We have fond memories of sitting in our garden for hours with a teenager discussing current affairs.”
Could you become a respite foster carer?
To become a respite foster carer, you need a spare room in a safe, loving home. You also need patience, time, resilience, and compassion.
You do not need previous fostering experience. However, experience with children who have complex behaviour can be helpful. Respite placements are usually planned in advance. This means there is often time for you to meet the young person before they stay with you.
Becoming a respite carer follows the same process as becoming a foster parent. You will receive the same training and support. You will also have your own supervising social worker and be invited to our family activities, even when you do not have a child staying with you.
Respite foster carers play an important role in the wider fostering system. They give children a safe place to stay and offer vital support to full-time foster families. This helps primary foster carers rest, recharge, and continue giving children the care they need.
If you would like to learn more about respite fostering, we would love to hear from you. Please call us on 0203 757 0070 or click the link to request a callback.