Fostering disabled children

Children needing foster care include those with developmental disabilities like autism, physical disabilities which limit a child’s mobility, learning or sensory disabilities.

Foster carers can find this type of fostering hugely rewarding as they help a child with complex needs live their life to the fullest, giving them the help and support they need to reach their potential.

This is a specialist type of fostering, which is why finding a suitable foster carer who can meet the needs of a child can be challenging.

Sometimes, children with disabilities need to be placed with a foster family because their birth parents aren’t able to support their complex needs but this isn’t always the case.

Foster carers also support the birth families of disabled children by providing regular respite care. Respite care means taking a break from caring. As some children with disabilities have a demanding care plan, it’s important that their parents get a chance to rest and recharge.

Support and training

You will be supported by a friendly network of professionals, including social workers, advisors and therapists, who are on hand to offer expert support and guidance, whenever you need it.

You will have access to a range of specialist training courses to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to look after the children and young people in your care.

As a foster carer for children with disabled children, you will be offered support and advice regarding adaptations and respite if required and a generous weekly allowance of up to £450 plus a payment for child allowance.

Requirements

First and foremost, you will need to patient, open-minded and committed to offering the level of specialist care that these children need.

You will need to be prepared to provide more care and attention and be able to manage special medication or care routines. In some cases, carers need to have a downstairs bedroom and bathroom but the fostering team will chat through any requirements.

Good communications skills are key and you will need to be able to advocate and have a willingness to learn.

This type of foster care may be of particular interest to people who have experience of caring for and/or working with children with disabilities.

But, you don’t need to have any formal qualifications to foster a child with complex needs.

The fostering team will support you every step of the way and you will be provided with the relevant training.

Find out more

Interested in finding out more?

We would love to hear from you, contact us.