Parent and child foster care is a type of foster care arrangement where both a child and their biological parent are placed together with a foster family. This arrangement is intended to provide the parent and child with the support, guidance and supervision they need to ensure the safety and well-being of the child.
Key Features of parent and child foster care:
1. Short-term and assessment-based: Parent and child foster care placements are usually time-limited placements designed to help professionals assess and support the parent’s ability to meet their child’s needs. The assessment can then contribute to decisions about the longer-term plans for a child.
2. Supportive environment for parenting: The foster carers act as mentors, helping the parent(s) improve their parenting skills and create a safer, more stable environment for their child. They help the parent(s) to build the skills and confidence they need to care for their child safely and ensure all their needs are met.
Parent and child foster care can be an effective way of helping parents develop their ability to care for their child safely helping to keep families together.
