Different types of fostering

Children and young people are in care for a wide variety of reasons. They are looked after by foster carers who have the relevant skills and experiences to support them. The type of fostering you could provide depends on you, your lifestyle and the needs of your own family.

You can find out more about the different types of fostering in Coventry below. Then give our Recruitment Team a call to talk about the type of fostering you could offer.

At the moment we are looking for people to join our Specialist Fostering Scheme. If you have the skills and experience to care for children or young people with complex emotional and behavioural problems, please think about specialist fostering.

time-limited (or short term) fostering. This can mean anything from an overnight stay to a period of several months. Short-term foster carers provide a temporary place to stay until the child can return home to their own family or a longer-term arrangement can be made.
long term fostering. Sometimes children will not be able to go back to live with their own families for a number of years, if at all. Long-term fostering allows children and young people to stay in a family where they can feel secure, whilst maintaining contact with their birth family.
emergency fostering. This type of fostering is used at short notice; for example, if a lone parent is taken into hospital and there is no one to care for their child. Emergency foster carers will need to be prepared to take a child into their home in the middle of the night and have them stay for a few days. Longer-term plans must then be considered.
specialist fostering. This scheme supports children with complex emotional and behavioural problems and provides skilled foster care in a family home setting. It is a career opportunity for people who want to work from home as part of a team with social workers, health and education professionals.

Contact details

Recruitment Team

Coventry Fostering & Adoption Service
Stoke House
Lloyd Crescent

Coventry, CV2 5NY
Telephone: 024 7678 5577
Email: cfps-recruitment@coventry.gov.uk

Coventry City Council