Out of Hours Support for foster carers

When children are living with the foster carers, the foster carers are required to care for the children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, just like any other parenting role. If the children are settled into a routine, they would sleep through the night; however, if the child is struggling with their sleep, or if they are unsettled at night for any other reason, the foster carer is expected to support the child until the child has settled and is asleep.

If the foster carer is looking after young people who abscond, the foster carer would work with social care and police until the child returns home.

When children are unsettled in the fostering home, the foster carer is expected to call children’s services and Sparks Fostering. Both services will offer support and guidance. The foster carer can call children’s services and Sparks Fostering at any time; indeed, if the child isn’t settled and/or there’s significant information to share, the foster carer is expected to inform both services straight away and also record the information as soon as possible (and send the recording to the child’s social worker and their fostering social worker).