Thinking of adopting and fostering?

Bridge fostering

Bridge fostering is for those who are looking to work with children in their own home, using their experience to assist them as a professional parent. A bridge foster carer looks after children as any parent would do, but also puts in that extra element that helps a child who has been through traumatic earlier experiences and whose physical and emotional development has suffered as a result. Bridge foster carers receive fostering allowances and a professional fee. Average weekly allowances and fees for a child aged five-10 years old are in the region of £250 per week. Bridge foster carers receive 21 nights short break care relief per year.

You will need to be able to:

• provide a short term or medium term foster placement to a child or young person referred to the project. You will work as the main carer/s, as part of a team with project staff, carers and volunteers as well as with staff from the child's responsible local authority
• provide respite or short break placements working alongside the child's main carers
• provide child-sitting and day care support to bridge carers
• provide home care to families affected by HIV or AIDS within a flexible package of support, which could include respite care or short break stays at times of crisis in the child's family
• offer warmth, affection and emotional support to children who have experienced damaging life events and separations, to help them cope with loss and bereavement
• help children to make sense of their past life experiences and help them develop skills to express their hopes, fears and wishes for the future
• help children develop appropriate social behaviour, helping them to become more independent and to cope with emotions appropriate to age.