Parent and Child Fostering Service works in partnership with Local Authorities to support the provision of primarily Parent and Child placements but also mainstream children and young people placements. We always endeavour to provide safe and nurturing foster placements options which appropriately meet the needs of children/young people. Children are carefully matched with foster carers who are able to meet their holistic needs, with the paramount consideration being ensuring the long-term welfare of the child.
The majority of our foster carers are assessed to provide placements for both parents and their children. In line with the National Fostering Regulations 2011, before Parent and Child Fostering Service agrees a parent and child foster placement, both the placing Local Authority and the agency would have to be satisfied that all proposed arrangements are appropriate. Parent and Child Fostering Service and the placing Local Authority would have agreed that the foster carer has the necessary skills and abilities to participate in parent and child assessments and would uphold the welfare of the family in the placement.
Emergency placements
Foster placements are available at short notice and supported by a 24hr emergency response service. An emergency placement ideally should not exceed a few days and it would be anticipated that the child or young person is to be moved to a more suitable placement within a week in a planned way.
Bridging placements
These are placements for children or young people while permanency plans are being formulated. In such placements, PACFS foster carers work with children/young people and their families toward reunification, or prepare children/young people for joining adoptive or long term/permanent fostering families, or for moving to a semi-independent or an independent living arrangement.
Respite placements are provided to give parents a break, or offer additional support if they do not have their own support network. In addition, respite is also offered to our own foster carers and is available in order to support placement demands and needs.
Parent and Child Fostering Service will have foster carers who are trained to provide short break care for children with disabilities.
Parent and Child Fostering Service aims to build up a pool of foster carers who have experience and skills in caring for children and young people who are disabled and/or require specialist medical care.
These are placements aimed at providing holding placements to families until the Local Authority completes its assessments as advised in court. The duration of short term placements can be from days up to 2 years on average.
These placements are where adoption is not an option, and the foster carer will care for a child/young person up to and into adult independence.
