Short Term Fostering

Short-term fostering can last from a few days to over a year. It is often needed when children are first fostered, providing time for court proceedings to determine what’s best for them long-term. Courts typically take around six months, though delays can occur due to complex family assessments.

Other short-term fostering may support children preparing for adoption. Some families offer short-term fostering (sometimes called ‘respite’, though we avoid that term) to help other foster families, ranging from a few weekends to stays up to two weeks. Most arrangements involve working with children’s families to maintain contact with important people in their lives.