Fostering in Wales

This could last for many years and into adulthood.

Action for Children Fostering will be with you all the way, supporting you emotionally, financially and with regular training. We offer 24/7, year-round support with a dedicated, qualified social worker.

Many of our foster carers give children and young people a long term home until they’re ready to live on their own.

Some young people stay with their foster family into adulthood, whether they study or work. This is what we call “staying put”. We want children to feel part of a family.

This could last for days, weeks or months.

We will support you with all the training you need and will put you in touch with other foster carers with a view to forming relationships and gaining access to the “experts”. Some foster carers specialise in short term fostering only.

We recognise that, even in the short term, attachments can be made. It may be difficult for short term foster carers to have many young people come and go from their lives in a short space of time.

We celebrate the amazing work all of our foster carers do and we will be there for you if you need some emotional support.

Our extensive, tailored training programme will provide short term carers with the skills they need to help their young people settle in and feel cared for straight away.

Respite carers play a vital role in supporting full-time foster carers and young people.

Providing cover during holidays and weekends gives full-time carers the chance to recharge their batteries and enables children to have new experiences. You will get to know different young people, so if you're good at building relationships, this could be for you! It would involve you looking after a child or young person for a few days, usually on a regular basis.

It’s also a great way for people considering fostering to get hands-on experience before committing fully.

You would still be provided with the same high level of support, training and resources as all of our other foster carers.

Where possible we try to keep brothers and sisters together.

Sibling relationships, like all relationships, are complex. But it’s usually in the best interests of the child to stay with their siblings.

Many of our carers who foster siblings say how rewarding it is.

There’s nothing better than knowing you are keeping siblings together.

Giving them the opportunity to grow up together and have shared experiences. Helping them have that shared history.

Typically lasting around three months, this type of fostering involves safeguarding and supporting babies and young children whose parents are unable to safely care for them without help.

The parent(s), who can be teenagers or adults ranging from 18 to 40+, live with you during this time, and care for the child under your observation and with your help.

This is a very different role from other types of fostering and is offered in only some of our services.

You receive additional training and support. Our current specialist carers have told us it can be extremely rewarding.

We’d be happy to talk to you if you wish to explore this further.

"When I'm ready" carers offer young people a home after they reach the age of 18.

This may enable the young person to continue their education through college or university.

It makes them feel like they really are part of your family and gives them the foundations they need to thrive.