What is long term fostering?
Long term fostering is also known as permanent fostering is a formal agreement between children’s social care and the fostering service (whether local authority or independent) that a child will remain with named foster carers until the child is an adult.
Long term fostering can only be arranged for children who can’t return to live with birth family, or can’t be cared for by extended family or family friends (kinship carers). Adoption has also been ruled out for children who remain in long term foster care.
Parental responsibility for children being cared for in long term foster care lies with the local authority. This means that the local authority can make decisions for the child about issues such as non-emergency operations, obtaining a passport and traveling abroad. Many of these decisions are delegated to long term foster carers, so that permission is needed for certain decisions, such as wanting to take the child abroad.
Foster carers who look after a child long term continue to receive the same level of support as other foster carers looking after children for shorter periods of time; however, the frequency of supervisions may be reduced depending on the needs of the child.
Long term fostering arrangements work well for many foster carers because the foster carers are able to build strong relationships with the children and be able to look after them in the same way they look after their own children. In addition, the foster carers continue to receive financial support, regular training, and enhanced support from the team around the child.
Long term fostering arrangements benefit child because the children can feel settled and secure in the fostering home. The child can be assured that they won’t need to move to another fostering home, or change school, or experience any other significant foster care transitions which can be very disruptive for the child.
Long term fostering cannot be formally agreed until a child has remained with a fostering family long enough to establish stability and strong relationships. Long term fostering also can’t be agreed for children who may return to live with birth family or be moved to kinship carers. Long term fostering arrangements are confirmed after a specific matching assessment is completed and presented to a local authority permanence panel.
