Long-Term vs Short-Term Fostering: Which One’s Right for You?
If you’re trying to decide whether short-term or long-term fostering would be the best fit for you and your family, there are a few things to consider.
Do you want to foster a child until they turn 18, or would you prefer to provide a temporary home while a long-term plan is made for their care?
From your availability and lifestyle to family time arrangements and saying goodbye, join us to discover what long-term and short-term fostering mean, and how to decide which choice is right for you and your family.
What is long-term vs short-term fostering?
At FCA Scotland, we know that navigating the various types of fostering can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re new to fostering. That’s why we’ve highlighted the main differences between short-term and long-term fostering below to help you understand what they really mean. This way, you can see which one’s right for your whole family.
The duration of arrangements
Short-term fostering, also known as interim fostering, provides a temporary home for a child, from several days to around two years.
Long-term foster care arrangements last longer than two years, typically until a child reaches adulthood, either when they’re 18 or until 21 with a continuing care agreement.
The purpose of the type of care
The purpose of all types of foster care is to provide children and young people with a safe, stable, and nurturing home. However, there are still some differences between the purposes of short-term and long-term foster care.
Interim foster care is a temporary arrangement while longer-term plans for a child’s care are decided, such as long-term fostering, adoption, or reunification with their family.
Long-term foster care, on the other hand, is about giving children and young people a home for the rest of their childhood. A home where they feel like part of the family and have the stability to put down roots in the community when reunification or adoption isn’t possible.
Your relationship with each child
Whether a child stays with you for 10 months or 5 years, part of your role as a foster carer is to nurture your bond, help them heal from their trauma, and treat them as part of your family. In both cases, you and your family will develop a remarkable connection with the child.
However, when you foster a child for an extended period of time, they really become part of your family. You’ll guide them through the ups and downs of life, supporting them throughout their education, and helping them prepare for independent living.
Angela, who has been long-term fostering with FCA Scotland for 14 years, said, “Just seeing them grow into their own person is quite something.” This included one particularly special moment when she helped her young person get ready for prom.
When you foster a child for a short time, you’ll prepare them for the next stage of their journey, whether that’s returning to their family, moving to a long-term foster home, or adoption.
The level of flexibility needed
When you foster short-term, you’ll usually have more notice than you would if you were providing emergency foster care. But there’s still likely to be a relatively short timeframe between accepting a match and the child moving into your home.
There also won’t typically be a fixed duration. In some cases, a child may need a short-term home while a parent recovers from an illness in hospital, whereas other families may be going through care proceedings to decide who will look after the child going forward.
If you’d like to care for more children, have a flexible lifestyle, and would like a break between caring for each child, short-term fostering could be the ideal type of fostering for you.
When it comes to long-term arrangements, you’ll usually receive more notice and have time for introductions before a child moves into your home. They’ll also often stay with you until they reach adulthood. If you want the stability of knowing a child will be staying with you for the foreseeable future, long-term fostering might be the best option for you.
Family time arrangements
With both long-term and short-term fostering, you’ll support children to see their families through family time arrangements. The frequency of these arrangements is what sets these two types of fostering apart.
If you’re temporarily fostering a child while decisions are being made about their care, these arrangements are likely to happen more often, especially if reunification is a possibility.
If you foster a child long-term, the frequency of these arrangements might decrease over time. In some cases, it’s not safe or in the best interests of the child to see their family. Whereas, in other situations, children living in long-term foster care might have siblings and extended family members they continue to see at various points throughout the year.
Support and training
Whether you foster long-term or short-term, at FCA Scotland, we’re here to support you in whichever direction your fostering journey takes you.
From our Team Parenting Model, which puts children first by giving you access to a network of childcare specialists who care for every aspect of their well-being, to an extensive training programme that’ll give you the knowledge and tools to foster with confidence. We’ll be by your side and are committed to keeping The Promise.
You’ll also receive a generous fostering allowance for each child in your care, along with invitations to our year-round activities and events, such as the Big Sing Off.
We’re a community, working together to improve the outcomes of vulnerable children and young people in Scotland and beyond.
What type of fostering should you choose?
Now that you understand the differences between short-term and long-term foster care, it’s essential to spend some time reflecting on which one would be the best fit for your family. Here is a summary of the main differences discussed to help you make your decision.
The length of time a child will stay in your care:
- Short-term fostering – up to two years.
- Long-term fostering – until they reach adulthood
The purpose of each type of fostering:
- Short-term fostering – temporary while decisions about a child’s long-term care are made.
- Long-term fostering – providing a child with the stability of a long-term home for an extended period of time, usually for the rest of their childhood.
The relationship you build with each child:
- Short-term fostering – you’ll provide them with a safe and nurturing home, while preparing them for long-term foster care, adoption, or reunification.
- Long-term fostering – they’ll truly become part of the family. You’ll be by their side through the good times and challenging times that life brings.
The level of flexibility required for each:
- Short-term fostering – less notice between matching and welcoming a child, but room for breaks between caring for children.
- Long-term fostering – usually more notice between matching and welcoming a child, and the stability of knowing a child will stay with you for the foreseeable future.
The frequency of family time arrangements:
- Short-term fostering – more frequent, especially if returning home is possible.
- Long-term fostering – depends on the best interests of the child, but is often less frequent.
The support and training you’ll receive:
- Regardless of which type of fostering you choose, you’ll receive the same level of support and training.
Need more help deciding?
If you need a little more help deciding which type of fostering to choose, you can talk to a member of our friendly team by calling 0141 646 4805 or submitting an enquiry form.
They can also take you through the initial requirements, such as having a spare room and book a home visit where you can ask any questions you may have. During the assessment process, you’ll also have opportunities to speak to experienced foster carers who’ll be happy to share their experiences.
Whether you’re thinking about transferring to us or are completely new to fostering, we’ll support you in making the right decision and help your whole family thrive on your fostering journey.
