Short break or respite fostering

Short break or respite care comes into play when a child's parents or foster families need some planned time out. And it's not just foster families who need respite care. Families who have children with disabilities can sometimes need a break too. 

Respite carers can also form part of a linked carers network. You'll get to know the families you offer respite care to, and their children or foster children will really look forward to coming to stay with you for sleepovers.

I try to find out as much about them as possible, their likes and dislikes, if there's anything that's going to worry them, even down to do they want the light left on. So that I can already say to them, 'I know you don't like that or I know you like this.

And we try to have some games for that first evening we spend time with them so they don't feel banished to their room. It can be a bit scary to just sit in the lounge so we have something that they can do with us." 

- Sue