Foster care is not one single role. There are different types of care designed to meet different needs for children and young people, and for the people who provide care.

Understanding these can help give you a clearer picture of what foster care involves, but you don’t need to know which type might suit you before reaching out. That’s something you can explore over time.

Emergency care

Emergency care provides a safe place for a child or young person at short notice, sometimes within hours. It may last for a few days or weeks while next steps are worked out.

This type of care may suit people who have flexibility in their schedules and can respond quickly to as calls to provide care can come day or night. Day-to-day, it involves helping a child settle, feel safe, and adjust to a new environment.

Short-term care

Short-term care supports children for a period of weeks to months while longer term plans are made.

It involves providing stable routines — like school, meals, and daily life — while also working as part of a broader care team providing wrap-around for a child or young person, which may also include regular appointments and contact visits with family. 

This type of care may be well suited to individuals who can maintain some flexibility alongside their work or family responsibilities, and who are able to provide consistency, stability, and routine for the children in their care.

Long-term care

Long-term care provides a stable home for children and young people who are unable to return home in the foreseeable future.

The day-to-day role is similar to ordinary family life — supporting education, relationships, and wellbeing over time — while also maintaining connection with family, culture, and the care system. 

This type of care may suit people who feel able to offer longer term consistency and stability in a child’s life.

Respite care

Respite care is usually provided on a regular, part-time basis. For example, one weekend a month, to support a child’s full-time foster carers.

This type of care can be more predictable and may fit around work, study, and other commitments. It still involves building connection, trust and routine with a child, even though the time together is shorter. 

Some people find respite care a good way to understand caring and how it fits into their life.

Therapeutic care

Some children need additional support due to their experiences or needs. Therapeutic care involves providing that support as part of a closely coordinated team, with additional training and guidance.

This type of care may suit people who are interested in developing additional skills and working closely with professionals to support a child’s needs.

It’s important to note that not all agencies offer therapeutic care, if this is something you are interested in contact us for a chat. 

What foster care does and doesn’t require

Across all types of care, foster carers provide safe, stable environments, support daily routines, and work alongside a broader care team. Carers are not expected to do this alone or to have all the answers from the start.

Foster care does not require you to be a particular type of person or to commit immediately to a specific role. It is not a one size fits all experience.

All types of kids need all types of carers. 

If you’re curious and want to understand more about foster care, you are welcome to reach out to us for a conversation via 1800 013 088, email or DM via our Facebook or Instagram. 

Fostering Connections is Victoria’s statewide foster carer recruitment service, helping people explore whether foster care could fit into their lives and connecting them with foster care agencies across the state.