Parent and child fostering is a unique and specialist form of care that supports vulnerable parents – often young or facing complex challenges – while they learn to care for their child in a safe, nurturing environment. Unlike traditional fostering, both the parent and child are placed together with a trained foster carer, with the goal of helping families stay together wherever possible.
Foster carer, Lisa, didn’t initially sign up for parent and child fostering, but after an emergency placement came up, she didn’t hesitate in saying yes. This choice led to her changing her placement types and only accepting parent and child moving forward.
“We were asked if we could look after mum and baby, just for the night, so we agreed,” Lisa recalls. “I had all of the equipment as I’d only recently had my second son, so we brought them home to stay with us. By Monday morning, I’d fallen in love with this mum and baby! From then on, we only wanted parent and child placements as it just fit in so well with our family.”
What type of skills parent and child fostering involve?
This type of fostering is about guidance, observation and empowerment. Foster carers play a vital role in helping parents develop essential life skills, which could be anything from feeding and bathing a baby to managing a household and building emotional resilience.
The focus of the foster carer is to take care of the parent, whilst that parent then takes care of the child. You’re not only providing a home but also contributing to formal assessments that may determine whether a child can safely remain with their parent.
“The majority of mums can do the basics with their baby. Some arrive with newborns and they don’t really know what they’re doing so of course I’ll take the lead and help. I’ll show them how to sterilise bottles, how to put on nappies and to bathe the baby. And then I start stepping away, allowing them to learn,” says Lisa.
“Mums and dads really do want to spend time with their babies, so we’ve never had a situation where we’ve been expected to look after the baby. We’re always happy to, if they need to go to an appointment alone.”
What are some of the challenges facing parent and child foster carers?
Lisa believes that resilience is the greatest tool a foster carer can possess. Placements can be intense at times, requiring carers to be present full-time and to manage potentially sensitive situations involving trauma, mental health, or past experiences of neglect.
In some cases, despite everyone’s best efforts, the outcome may not be what the foster carer or the parent had hoped for. Lisa tries to manage the expectations of her parents, inspiring trust with her honesty.
Lisa says, “The hardest bit is when you know that they’re likely to have an assessment that says they can’t safely keep their baby. It’s then almost about preparing them that it might not go their way and making sure they’re ready for either outcome.
“If the decision is made that they can’t look after themselves and the baby in the community on their own, it can be very sad. You start to realise they’re not going to be able to do it themselves, but you have to think about what’s best for the baby. That’s what this is all about.”
What are the greatest rewards of parent and child fostering?
Carers often describe the experience as life-changing – knowing you’ve supported a parent to gain confidence and develop the skills to care for their child can have a lasting, generational impact.
Witnessing the transformation of mums and dads, whether they keep their children or not, can be one of the greatest rewards of the process. The moments when a parent leaves the placement stronger, more confident and able to provide a safe home, highlight the true value of this work.
“One girl had a bad experience with her first baby and when she got pregnant again, she came to me with her new baby. She knew that she had to prove herself this time and she did so well. She undertook therapy and did a lot of work and training sessions. It’s great to see her working hard to make sure she keeps this baby.”
How do Rees support parent and child foster carers?
Specialist fostering agencies such as Rees Parent & Child Fostering play a crucial role in supporting carers through both the highs and the challenges. With comprehensive training, ongoing professional guidance and access to experienced social workers, carers are never alone in their journey. This network of support ensures carers are equipped with the skills, confidence and reassurance needed to navigate complex placements and deliver the best possible outcomes for families.
Ultimately, parent and child fostering is not an easy path, but it is an incredibly meaningful one. It requires resilience, patience and compassion, yet offers the rare opportunity to change the trajectory of a family’s future, keeping parents and children together and helping them build a brighter, more stable life.
If you think parent and child fostering is for you, we can give you further information and show you the next steps. Get in touch with us today and find out more.