Foster Care provides children and young people who cannot live with their birth families with a safe and loving home where they feel valued, respected, and cared for. There are over 2,800 children and young people who are currently reliant on foster care in Northern Ireland and every child deserves a stable home. A foster carer can offer that and make an invaluably positive impact on a child’s life.
Children and young people may need foster care for many reasons. Some parents have health related problems that may prevent them from being able to adequately care for their child. Children may have experienced neglect or abuse or a child may have a disability that birth parents find it impossible to care for. Whatever reason exists, fostering provides these children with an alternative, a caring home where they are seen and respected.
We provide all foster carers with full training, a 24-hour social work support, and financial assistance.
Click here for further information on the training and support foster carers receive.
These children and young people need security, patience, and understanding. They should be able to thrive and grow up to be responsible adults, living their lives to the full. Foster care can help them to meet challenges and feel positive about their options. Often, a child or young person would hope to return home to their birth parents at some point in the future and foster carers will help them if that is a possibility.