In this series of blog articles we explore the six different types of fostering available to suit your home, your family dynamics and life commitments.
In this article we explain what fostering respite care is.
A child might need to stay with respite carers if their main carer is poorly, has a commitment where the child or young person cannot attend or another reason.
Respite carers provide a break for mainstream carers by offering the child or young person short periods of time in their home. Respite care is good if you have little flexibility with work commitments, but you still would like to help.
As a respite carer you will be treated as a professional, you will have the same shared responsibilities as a mainstream carer and you will be another advocate for the child.
The only difference between a mainstream carer and a respite carer is the period of time you have the child in your care.
Before you are matched with a young person, you will be taught by the very best facilitators in Safeguarding, Health, Safety and Welfare of a Child, Attachment, Trauma and Therapeutic Approaches, Child Development and Paediatric First Aid to name a few.
We believe by passing on our knowledge and professional experience to you, through training and continuous support you will be able to make an even bigger difference to children in your care.
Once you have become an approved foster carer, our dedicated fostering training officers will continue to offer you innovative and bespoke training and we will even reward you financially for your ongoing development as part of our Fostering Excellence scheme.
Hull City Council is dedicated in offering high quality training to meet your needs as foster carers and supported lodgings providers and our wide range of courses are also held online, evenings and Saturdays to fit around your family routines.
If you are able to offer support as a respite foster carer, we would love to hear from you.
“I work in a school, so I use the school holidays as perfect opportunities to offer short breaks to children and their foster carers. I have some children who come to stay with me over the weekend once a month, and other children who come as and when needed. I love having them here, my house and heart feel full. Having me available to help out really does make a massive difference to the foster families who need a short break from time-to-time and the children I look after really look forward to coming.”
If you have a spare bedroom and live within 30 miles of Hull, please do get in touch.
You can fill in this enquiry form, call us on 01482 612 800, email fostering@hullcc.gov.uk or send us a message on Facebook.
Our children need people from Hull and surrounding area to come forward, so they can continue living in the city the know, can stay at the same school, keep their friends and continue to see their family.
Please visit our website for more information www.HullFostering.co.uk
To learn more about Support Care, please read our latest blog article.