Parent & Child fostering – what is it & how to get started

Some parents may require additional support and training to learn the necessary parenting skills. This is why Parent & Child fostering has emerged as one of the most practical and rewarding forms of fostering.

Parent & Child fostering aims to provide care for parents who are at risk of losing their children, this could be because they haven’t developed parenting skills yet, or that there are underlying challenges that make parenting difficult. It could be that the parent has never experienced positive parenting or has additional needs that require extra support. In some cases, the parent may have previously had a child removed from their care, and now their circumstances have changed, so it may be possible for their new baby to remain in their care, for example.

The primary goal of Parent & Child Fostering is to provide a stable home environment where the parent and child can live together under the guidance of experienced Foster Carers. The Carer’s role is to model positive parenting and provide support to ensure the family has the best possible chance of staying together and flourishing.

It’s not just about providing a safe and warm home; a Parent & Child Carer will help to model essential skills such as feeding, bathing, and safe sleeping. They will empower the parent to make positive life choices, plan for the future, and develop healthy routines. When parenting becomes overwhelming, the Carer will provide support and get the parent back on track if needed. Additionally, the Carer will help the parent understand developmental milestones and the baby’s changing needs.

It takes a special person to be a Parent & Child Carer. The Carer should be experienced, nonjudgmental and have excellent communication and relationship building skills. This opportunity could be particularly interesting for people who are or have been midwives, teachers, youth workers, child care workers, social workers, or care assistants, for example.

We believe that Parent & Child Fostering is one of the most rewarding forms of fostering. Our Foster Carers have reported having excellent relationships with the families they have supported, even after they leave the program. Some have told us stories about how they still text, phone and meet up with the families they have supported for years after they leave the program.

Parent & Child Fostering programs are a crucial aspect of fostering that provides essential support and skills for parents and their children. By allowing parents to experience the joys and difficulties of parenting with knowledgeable support, we can prevent children from entering kinship or permanent care arrangements. So go ahead, if you have the skills to become a Parent & Child Carer, make a difference in a family’s life today!

Feeling inspired? Enquire today. We’d love to hear from you.