Disabled children's fostering includes looking after children and young people who have autism, physical impairment, learning difficulties, or complex health needs.
Our dedicated team provides full training and support to disabled children's foster carers, so no previous experience is needed. We also offer enhanced fostering payments up to £610.60 a week (dependent on the child’s needs and foster carers skills level payment).
Foster carers for disabled children can look after them on a task centered or permanent basis.
Short break foster care is where you offer short term fostering to disabled children to provide their parents with a break, in order to support them in maintaining the high level of care their children need. Short breaks can include occasional days, evenings, weekends or school holidays.
The role
Foster carers looking after disabled children do not need any specific experience, although if you do have skills in caring for children or adults with learning and/or physical disabilities, this will help when caring for these children.
A love of children and young people and the motivation and commitment to help them achieve their potential is important. As part of your role you are likely to need to support personal care alongside high levels of learning and emotional needs.
Reward and support
Foster carers will receive:
- enhanced fostering payments of up to £610.60 a week per child (dependent on the child’s needs and the foster carer's skills level payment)
- specialist supervision, training and support from our dedicated Disabled Children's Fostering Team.
- for short breaks foster carers, the ability to work full time providing care at weekends and during holiday times (this is often of particular in interest to teaching staff)
- two weeks holiday payment per year
- access to 24-hour support
- an allocated mentor during your first year of fostering
- membership to FosterTalk
- membership to the Kent Foster Care Association
- support from Virtual School Kent
- access to the Children and Young People's Council
- participation in appreciation and activity days
- payment for skills panel consideration to recognise training undertaken and carer’s abilities.