Some of the most frequently asked questions we receive at Orchard Fostering are time-related: How long can a child stay in the foster care system? How do you decide how long a child stays in the foster care system? How long can a child stay with one foster family?
If you’re interested in finding out more about timelines for children in the foster care system, read on – we’ve got plenty of information about foster care regulations, different placement types, and the type of time commitment involved in foster care.
If you’re interested in foster care, please reach out to Orchard Fostering today. We’re available on the phone or via email – you can also fill out a form directly on our contact page.
How long can a child stay in the foster care system?
The goal of fostering is always to return a child to their birth family, if possible. Any young person under the age of eighteen can enter foster care. Some might take part in short term placement, while things are worked on at home, while other young people may remain in foster care for the long-term.
Effectively, there is no time limit on how long a child can stay in foster care. Instead, the focus is on ensuring the best possible outcome for the young person in foster care – whether that be reuniting with their birth family after a period of time, or moving on from foster care once they reach independence.
How do you decide how long a child stays in the foster care system?
There are many different types of foster care – short-term, emergency, supported lodgings and long-term. Each of these placement types work on different timelines. Short-term placements can last for days, weeks or months. Emergency foster care can last for up to 72 hours. Supported lodgings usually takes place from the ages of sixteen to eighteen. Long-term foster care can run over the course of many years.
Following a thorough assessment process, a child in care will be placed with a family we feel are best suited to their needs. If things work out with this family, the young person will hopefully remain with them for the duration of their placement – as the family endeavours to provide a nurturing environment for the young person in their care.
How long can a child stay with one foster family?
The timelines for short-term, emergency and supported lodgings are clear – however, long-term foster care offers varying placement lengths. If it is determined that a young person needs to enter long-term foster care (any foster placement that extends beyond six months), they will be placed with a carer who has the capacity to provide the long-term support of a safe home, consistent care and a stable environment.
Children in long term placements can often remain in the care of their foster family up until their eighteenth birthday – and quite often, beyond eighteen. Long term foster care allows a family to bring a foster child into their home and create a loving, lasting relationship over the course of many years, providing them with much needed stability and consistency of care. Long term foster care also supports a child’s development of a sense of belonging and identity, as they can experience security and a stable base. While long term foster care placements are long term commitments, they can reap many emotional benefits for the child and the foster carer.
Essentially, a young person in long-term foster care will stay in foster care – and with their foster family – until a reunification with their birth family is possible, or until they leave foster care.
If you’re interested in foster care, please reach out to Orchard Fostering today. We’re available on the phone or via email – you can also fill out a form directly on our contact page.