Foster carers look after children and young people up to 18 years of age who are unable to live within their family networks for a variety of reasons. These reasons can include:
Concerns for a child’s safety and welfare: If a child is experiencing abuse, neglect or is at serious risk of harm, they may be removed from their home environment for their protection.
Difficulties or crises in the family: Sometimes families struggle to meet the needs of the children living with them for a variety of reasons, such as experiencing mental health issues; substance or alcohol misuse problems; domestic violence between the adults in the home; or physical illness. All these circumstances can make it difficult for adults to care for children safely and in a way that meets all their needs. In such situations children may come to live with foster carers whilst their primary carers receive the support they need to address the identified difficulties.
Unaccompanied and separated children: These could be children arriving in the UK without their parents after fleeing circumstances where they have been unsafe, such as war, political persecution, and natural disaster.
Children are placed with foster carers for a wide variety of reasons and every child’s individual circumstances are different.
