Becoming an emergency foster parent is a rewarding and challenging process. It takes careful planning, dedication, and persistence.
Here’s how to become an emergency foster parent:
Step 1: Talk to your local Department of Child Services or Child Welfare Agency about becoming a foster parent. Your local department will help you through the process and answer any questions you have about what it means to be a foster parent.
Step 2: Take care of yourself first! You’ll need to be in good health, emotionally stable, financially secure, and able to provide a safe home for children in need.
Step 3: If you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent because you want extra income or because you think it’ll be fun—don’t do it! Being a foster parent is hard work that doesn’t pay well (if at all). And there are lots of other ways people make money without having to deal with kids all day long!
How To Become Emergency Foster Parent
According to the U.S. Department of Human Services, there are roughly 429,00 children in the U.S. foster care system on any given day. Children enter the foster care system due to neglect, abuse, or abandonment by their parents or guardians. Each state’s foster care procedures vary, but in general, the process begins with a report to Child Protection Services at which time a social worker is engaged to work with the child’s case. The social worker will meet with the family and the child and devise a plan for the child to receive care either with a relative or through the foster care system. However, there are instances when sufficient time is not available to make a plan to place the child. That is when emergency foster care occurs.
Emergency foster care is a short-term care solution for infants and children in need. Due to drug or alcohol abuse, unexpected death, or a parent or caregiver becoming physically or mentally incapable of caring for a child, social services may immediately choose to remove the child from their current living situation. It may happen any time of day or night, at any point during the year.
Its purpose is to ensure the child is able to reside somewhere safe and nurturing while social services work to find a more long-term solution, either with a relative, foster care or through adoption. Once the child leaves from their current living situation, social services will call their list of emergency foster care providers. Often these calls occur late at night or over the weekend. As soon the emergency foster care provider confirms willingness and availability, social services will deliver the child to the temporary home. Placements in emergency foster care homes may last anywhere from a few hours to a few months. Each state has its own guidelines with varying definitions of emergency foster care, but typically a temporary placement lasts between 72 hours and 30 days. Once a permanent solution is found, with a relative or a foster family, the child is removed from the emergency foster care provider’s home and resettled into the new living arrangements.
It is important to realize that children placed in emergency foster care are often in a very fragile state. They have experienced loss, they will experience grief, and they will struggle to cope. A good emergency foster care provider is someone who can be patient, provide a stable living environment, be available 24 hours a day, and can help the child feel wanted and loved. It is possible to turn down a placement, but emergency foster care providers should be able and willing to say yes to a child at a moment’s notice.
Like traditional foster care, interested caregivers will need to attend an informational meeting, complete an application, undergo background checks and clearances, attend training and classes, then receive their foster care license. Each state varies in their requirements for emergency foster care providers.
Emergency fostering places children who are at immediate risk into temporary foster care at short notice, often with only a few hours’ warning. The child’s safety is always number one priority, so with emergency foster care, there isn’t time for formal introductions beforehand.
Most foster carers will experience being an emergency foster parent at some point in their fostering career.
Why do children need emergency foster care?
When a child’s home poses an immediate threat to their safety or health, we work hard to quickly place them with a suitable family that can provide the support and comfort they need during what is a very stressful and upsetting time. Children might need emergency foster care at the drop of a hat if:
- They are being exposed to violence in the home and are in danger
- There has been a severe accident at the home, such as a fire
- The family are being evicted and there is nowhere for the child to go
- There are police issues at the home
- The parent or guardian has suddenly fallen ill or died
New to fostering?
Download our Complete Guide to the Fostering Process to discover everything you need to know.
How long does a child stay in emergency foster care?
Emergency fostering is very temporary foster care, with the child usually staying for a night or two until it’s safe for them to return home or a long-term plan has been put in place. Social workers will assess the child’s situation whilst they’re in your care and potentially try to locate family members who can look after the child instead. Due to the efforts we make to achieve the very best possible match between children and families, emergency placements can develop into long-term foster placements.
What does an emergency foster parent do?
Children that suddenly come into foster care due to severe disruption in their life are often shaken up, distraught and confused. It’s your main role as an emergency foster parent to provide safety, comfort and a calm environment during a very stressful time. Depending on when the child comes into your care and how long they’re with you, you may need to ensure they go to school and attend any meetings with the birth parents.
How emergency foster care placement works
Due to the nature of why children need an emergency foster home, it usually takes place at night or during weekends, but it can happen at any moment and when it does, it’s all hands on deck. We have an outstanding support package and out-of-hours team to find children a suitable home with little to no warning.
- We work with our emergency foster families and regular foster families to match the child to the right home that will meet all their needs.
- We also provide the local authority with a ‘Foster Family Vacancy Hub’ so they can quickly see which of our foster families are approved for emergency fostering. This helps to narrow down and speed up the search.
- Even in an emergency, each child is given a profile of their foster family as well as a picture of their bedroom. Knowing who they are going to stay with helps them to feel more relaxed and comfortable, making it easier for them to settle in.
Emergency foster care allowance
We truly appreciate the amazing work that our emergency foster parents do, so we pay a generous allowance per night to help you care for the child. You’ll also get access to all of the support, training courses and other benefits that come with being a Fostering People foster parent.
Benefits of working with Fostering People
24/7 local support, Outstanding rating by OFSTED and excellent allowances are just a few of the reasons why you should choose us for your fostering journey.
Allowances
Support
Training
Every foster child is an individual, that’s why we offer various kinds of fostering placements.
The types of fostering placements you’re offered will depend on your personal preferences and circumstances, but many of our foster parents are approved to offer more than one type of placement.
