Long term fostering

What is long-term fostering?

When it is clear that children are unable to return home, we prioritise finding them a home with long-term foster carers so that they can feel settled as soon as possible.

Our long-term foster carers welcome children into their homes as part of their family until they are ready to be independent. You’ll provide a long-term, secure home until adulthood – building lasting bonds and helping a young person grow with confidence.

How do children benefit from long-term fostering?

Long-term fostering gives children something many have gone without: security, stability, and a sense of belonging. It provides a loving, consistent home for those who can’t return to their birth families – often becoming the closest thing to “forever family.”

• A safe and stable home. By offering a secure and dependable environment, long term foster carers can help children finally feel physically and emotionally safe.
• Strong, lasting relationships. Over time, children can form deep, trusting bonds, building the foundations for healthy emotional development.
• Emotional healing. Children begin to rebuild their self-esteem. They learn to manage their emotions and develop resilience for the future.
• Better outcomes in education. Stability at home often leads to improved focus, attendance, and performance at school. Long-term foster children are more likely to thrive academically and discover their talents.
• A strong sense of identity. Knowing they belong to a family that cares deeply for them gives children the freedom to explore who they are – their culture, background, and personal values – in a safe, supportive space.
• Brighter, long-term futures. Children in long-term foster care are more likely to finish school, avoid risky behaviours, and enter adulthood with confidence, stability, and ambition.

Long-term fostering offers more than just a home – it gives children hope, healing, and the chance to thrive. And, for many, it’s life changing.

How does long-term fostering differ from adoption?

While both long-term fostering and adoption offer children a safe, loving home, they are legally and emotionally different journeys. Understanding the key differences can help you decide which path feels right for you.

Legal Responsibility

Long-Term Fostering: The local authority (and sometimes the birth parents) retain legal responsibility for the child. You care for the child day-to-day, but key decisions are shared with the fostering team.

Adoption: You become the child’s legal parent. All parental rights are transferred to you permanently, and the child becomes a full member of your family in law.

Permanence

Long-Term Fostering: The child stays with you until they reach adulthood or are ready to live independently. It's stable, ongoing, but not a legal change of family.

Adoption: Adoption is permanent. The child becomes part of your family for life, with the same rights as a birth child.

Contact with Birth Family

Long-Term Fostering: Children may or may not maintain regular contact with their birth family, depending on what’s in their best interest.

Adoption: Contact with birth family is usually more limited, often indirect (such as letterbox contact), and sometimes non-existent, depending on the adoption plan.

Support and Allowances

Long-Term Fostering: You receive a fostering allowance to cover the child’s needs, plus full training and 24/7 support from your local authority.

Adoption: Post-adoption support is available, but financial support varies and is typically not ongoing.

Role in the Child’s Life

Foster Carers are part of a wider team, providing stability, care, and guidance while working closely with professionals.

Adopters are the child’s legal parents and take full responsibility for their upbringing.

Which is right for you?

If you want to offer a loving home with professional support and flexibility, long-term fostering may be ideal.

If you're ready to take full parental responsibility and make a child part of your family permanently, adoption may be the right path.

Both options change lives – it’s about what fits your family and your heart.