Roles & Responsibilities of Foster Carers
The ultimate role of any foster carer is to look after a child or young person.
Roles & Responsibilities of Foster Carers
The ultimate role of any foster carer is to look after a child or young person.
Foster care is a general term. It can mean different things to different people. The ultimate role of any foster parent is to care for a child or young person. But, what does 'care' actually mean. This is one of the most commonly asked questions when people think about becoming a foster carer.
When a child is placed in your care, they are your responsibility to look after, not just physically but in terms of helping them grow and develop too. Children may have complex needs that need to be catered for or they may even have health issues to take into consideration.
Carer responsibilities
- As a carer, you are responsible for providing a family for the child or children within your care.
- This includes all the regular expectations of childcare such as providing safety, food, guidance and care.
- It also includes a dedication to bettering a child's life through love, educational and emotional support and behaviour management.
The responsibilities of a foster parent are many, but some of the main roles include:
Providing a safe home
Being removed from home is traumatic for children in care. Your love and support as a foster parent can provide the stability they need to grow and thrive.
Providing love & support
Children from unstable backgrounds need a secure environment for rehabilitation. Your role as a carer is to provide them with a stable, nurturing home.
Support education
Children in your care, must enrol and attend a school. Active involvement in their education is crucial as a foster carer. It is important that being taken into care doesn't affect their learning.
Support health needs
You're in charge of making sure they can see a doctor when necessary and have the means to get there, whether it's by car or public transport. Some foster children may also have special medical needs.
Managing behaviour
Children in care may exhibit challenging behavior due to past experiences. A caring and patient approach, along with a system to address difficult behavior, is crucial in helping them cope.
Encourage family contact
Foster care supports children temporarily until they may return to their birth parents. Foster parents help maintain healthy family contact as per the local authority's plan.
Be a team member
Collaborate with your SSSW to oversee the child's fostering journey. Attend meetings, embrace teamwork, record-keeping, and handling sensitive information.
Improve skills
Fostering is a learning journey with unique challenges. We provide ongoing training and support. Your dedication to improving your skills will make you a great foster carer, profoundly impacting a child's life.
