Mother and child

Parent and Child

This is a placement for a parent with their child (usually a very young child or baby), where we think that the parent needs some extra support to learn how to be a good parent.

These are situations where there is some worry about whether the child is safe with the parent, and the foster carer will be asked to contribute to the thinking and planning about this. These are complex placements to have and we would want carers to be either very experienced at fostering, or to have some additional specialist knowledge to help them in this task. These placements are really important for children, and they key tasks are about helping the children to settle down and develop a good and stable routine. This role attracts an enhanced fee for the foster carer due to the complex nature of the placement.

What is parent and child fostering?

Sometimes, new parents need a little extra guidance and support to help them raise healthy, happy children; particularly if they hadn’t experienced a loving and nurturing childhood themselves.

The aim of parent and child fostering is to support young parents to develop the skills and maturity that they need to look after their baby.

Foster carers play a vital role by welcoming the parent and child into their home and providing support, guidance and practical skills they need to care for their child. Placements can occur before the arrival of the child, to help the parents prepare for the baby, after the baby has been born or even a little later in life if there are concerns around their ability to care for their child.

This type of care usually involves looking after young parents who are often mothers (sometimes fathers too) who may have complex needs and require a helping hand with parenting.

What’s the role of a parent and child foster parent?

The role of a parent and child foster parent can be extremely rewarding – by sharing your knowledge, experience and invaluable support, you’re helping a family stay together.

As a parent and child foster parent, you’ll;

  • Provide a safe, non-judgement home environment to a parent and their child – this could be a mother and a baby placement, a father and child or both parents.
  • Help them understand their baby or child’s development, so they can confidently respond to their changing needs.
  • Observe their parenting and keep records, as you may be asked by the fostering service to contribute to a parenting assessment.
  • Attend regular specialist training to continuously develop your knowledge and skills, so parents and children receive the very best care.

Training and Support

  • Parent and Child fostering training
  • Child Development
  • Attachment
  • First Aid Paediatric
  • Safeguarding level 1
  • Record keeping
  • Report writing
  • Fortnightly supervisions
  • Weekly update calls
  • Regular reviews
  • Buddy foster carer allocated

Parent and child fostering pay

We will pay a generous weekly fee of £589.80, in addition cared for child allowance will be paid for each child in placement.

Page last reviewed: 01 November 2023