All children need a grown-up to look after them and a happy and safe place to live. Sometimes some mum and dads cannot provide this. This is when children have to go and live with a foster carer. Foster care has been around for hundreds of years and there have been many people who have gone to live with people other than their parents. You can talk to your social worker about the reasons why you aren't able to live at home.
Foster carers and foster families are trained to look after children and young people that can’t live with their family. All foster carers are different and come from all different backgrounds – black, white or mixed families. You might live with a single carer, a married couple or they may have children of their own. Man young people who have left care are still in touch with their foster carers and many consider their foster carer's children to be additional brothers and sisters.
It is a foster carer’s job to look after you and keep you safe in a warm, clean house. They will make you feel like a part of their family for as long as you live with them. Your foster carer will make sure that you:
A social worker will take you to your foster carer’s home where you will meet everyone who lives there. Your foster carer will show you around the house and show you where you will sleep. You will be able to bring your clothes, books, toys and other special things with you. Hopefully you will be happy in your foster placement but it sometimes takes a little bit of time to settle down and feel like you're at home. This is perfectly normal.
All foster carers have been through checks by the police and Social Care to make sure that they will be able to care for you properly. They are reviewed every year to make sure that they are doing their job properly. You can have your say about the way that they are looking after you at your LAC review or when you talk to your social worker.
