Social services Become an emergency foster carer

Help young people in an emergency 

Emergency foster carers usually look after children under 18 for up to two weeks. We use this time to plan what happens next – whether the children can go back to their family or need to move to a longer-term foster family.  

The children you will care for 

These are often the children that have had the most difficult experiences. As a result, they can: 

  • find it hard to trust people 
  • be nervous about building new relationships 
  • be struggling at school  
  • suffer from low self-esteem. 

The carers we need 

We’re looking for patient, caring and resilient people; ideally, those with experience of dealing with children who have emotional challenges. This experience might include working in childcare, schools or residential homes.  

The most important thing is wanting to make a difference to a child’s life when they are at their most vulnerable, and be able to deal with the difficulties these children face. 

Emergency carers receive: 

  • payment of up to £580 a week, depending on the age of the child  
  • a dedicated social worker to help support you one-to-one
  • round-the-clock on-call support from our social work team. 

Check if you can foster 

Apply to be a foster carer

You can also visit the fostering hub for more information or call the team on 0300 303 0321

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