Long-term foster care
Many
children and young people who become looked after will return to
their families. A few, mostly very young children, will be adopted
and some, mostly older children, see their stay in foster care as
temporary until they can live on their own.
Strong links with birth families are often maintained, but a significant number of children and young people want a family who can look after them until they are ready to move to independence, and who will continue to be their family and a resource to them beyond that point.
The long-term option
The Fostering Network has long believed that providing a permanent or long-term placement in foster care is the very best option for many looked after children.
It should have equal status as a placement option and we will be campaigning - in line with Every Child Matters - for long-term foster care to have equal status with adoption, special guardianship and residence orders once it is established that a child/young person cannot return to live with their birth parents or wider birth family for whatever reason.
Policy paper
The Fostering Network, in discussion with academics and practitioners from across the fostering spectrum, has produced a policy paper and consultation on long-term foster care. The policy makes recommendations to government for a framework for change.