Parent and Child fostering
A Parent and Child foster placement (also referred to as P&C) is a type of foster placement that gives parents the opportunity to demonstrate or learn how to look after their baby over an initial 12-week period, with the help and support of a foster carer.
Your role is to support the parent (or parents) to look after their own baby. Whilst you will be expected to supervise and offer the parent(s) advice and encouragement where needed, you are not there to care for the baby.
You will be asked to record your observations in order for the local authority social worker to get a clear and fair picture of how the parent(s) cares for the baby and any areas, if any, they need further assistance with.
As well as having an allocated, experienced Supervising Social Worker, a specialist Placement Support Worker will provide additional assistance to work with the parent(s). Your recorded observations will also be shared with other professionals; such as local authority social workers, health visitors, and children’s guardians.
P&C placements can be challenging, but incredibly rewarding.
Some of the parents you might help will have come from very different backgrounds to your own. They may not have a positive experience of family life, or parenting, and so find it a challenge to accept that living within a stable household, with some basic rules and boundaries, will be beneficial to them in caring for their baby.
Your role as a P&C carer can be to help break this cycle, improving the lives of both parent and baby, effectively breaking a cycle of neglect and negativity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please click on the questions below to view the answers.
A – Not necessarily. Just a willingness to work with both parent and child; you don’t need to have any experience in the care of young babies.
A – No, it could be a father and baby or both parents and their baby. Occasionally, the parent has a young child already as well as a baby, but needs some support for a variety of reasons
A – You are not carer to the baby. Your role is to support the parent(s) to look after their own baby.
A – This type of placement usually lasts for 12 weeks. During this period, the parent and child will be assessed, and your observations will be an essential part of this.
There may be occasions when you are asked to extend the placement. This will only be agreed after you’ve had the opportunity to talk to your family and Supervising Social Worker.
A – There are a few things you will need:
- Teamwork – you will be working closely with a team of professionals e.g. social workers, health visitors, children’s guardians as well as your own Supervising Social Worker and Placement Support Worker
- Understanding – the parent(s) you are helping may need a significant amount of support, depending on their circumstances, and even their own childhoods
- Acceptance of having other adults living with you
- The ability to build trust and relationships
A – Yes, however you will receive additional training to enable you to record information to the standard required, as well as other specialist training to help you undertake your role.
A – You’ll have the support of a specialist worker from Calon Cymru Fostering, who will work directly with the parent(s), supporting the advice you are giving.
As well as allowing you some time off, with the agreement of the Local Authority, if the placement will last longer than 12 weeks, you may be offered respite if required.
If you want any further information, or think you could help a family to stay together, speak to our friendly team on 029 2081 1173 or enquire today.
Enquire About Parent & Child Fostering
ZB's story
“In 2016, Social Services said that I needed to go into a fostering placement with my baby, giving me the chance to keep my baby. I was placed with a fostering family from Calon Cymru Fostering.
“It hasn’t always been easy, and at times I felt like giving up, but I kept to it and I enjoyed being in placement. I have made life changes and have done what I needed to do to prove that I can look after my baby. It took a lot longer than I thought but, in the end, I got to go home with my baby.
“I have made lifetime friends with the foster carers and still speak to them now.”
ZB