Skip to main content

The value of respite

Fostering, it is difficult. Extremely rewarding, but just like raising any child, difficult.

We all need breaks, from work, from our loved ones, from friends and family. Just to be. Be ourselves, recharge, think, relax, and find time to ourselves.

If you foster full time this can be hard to achieve.

One way this is made possible is through respite care - this is where a child who is looked after goes to another foster carer for a short period. Usually from one day up to one week.

If you'd love to be that special person who decides to foster but cannot commit to it full time at present, perhaps because of your family or work situation, then respite could be the perfect solution for you.

Most councils or agencies are pretty flexible because they understand how vital it is to have respite carers on their books to provide their full time carers those precious opportunities to recharge. Giving a full time carer a break can make all the difference between the carer feeling positive and on top of everything and feeling tired and frazzled.

Sometimes respite is needed because the child does not want to go to a family event or on holiday with their carer. Or, because its not appropriate or suitable for the child to attend an event with their carer, for example a funeral or if their foster parent needed to visit a sick relative.

Tempted to dip your toes in the fostering pool but unsure of looking after a child full time? Or really want to foster but due to work commitments cant do so full time? Then ask about respite. Once approved you can state the days you are free with your social worker; they'll work around you. You may want to look after children three weekends a month, or one whole week and a long week each month. Great! Do it. You'll be helping to look after some of our most precious children and giving their full time carer that much needed rest.

Imagine you having a real tough time at work. Not because anything 'wrong' has happened, but your just busy. And your tired, and you've not had a holiday day in months. Then your boss taps you on the shoulder and says 'do you fancy taking Friday afternoon off?' You'd jump at it. Those precious extra few hours can make all the difference to your well being and next time you come into work your recharged and raring to go.

Imagine then that you can provide that time off to a full time carer. That full time carer is not someone working a mundane office job. They're doing one of the best jobs out there, but it is demanding, and to keep them in tip top form, affording them breaks is vital.

So you don't have to be a full time carer to make a huge impact in fostering.

They say it takes a whole village to raise a child.

I would shout out 'yes' to this comment if I wasn't sat at work writing this.

Interested in becoming an essential respite carer? Contact your local council or provider...


Check out are FB Here

NB Bristol Fostering is a personal blog and not affiliated with any fostering agency. The author just happens to live in Bristol, UK

We do recommend Bristol Council though as they're fab. Bristol Council fostering enquiry form

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why haven't you named your teddy? He should be called Dave

Fostering throws up a variety of kids. You get asked to look after children that match your capabilities and preferences but even if you had a room full of 10 year old boys they'd all be different, let alone ones that have been through a range of trauma and difficulties that led them to come into care. It is a fair to say that on average, children are on the more difficult end. I know that sounds horrid to say, but they are. It can take it's toll on carers which is why they often need breaks. However even the most well behaved little one can be a handful, simply because they're an energetic little soul, who likes to play and play and play some more. We had one of these recently. The most brilliant, bright boy you can imagine. His language and math skills are excellent for his age. He is articulate, funny, cheeky, and, well, full of beans. As soon as he got to my home, and checked out his room, we unpacked his bag and put away his clothes and his teddy on the bed. He t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Teenage kicks

Some friends of mine were asking me about fostering. They were curious. What does it entail? Who do you look after? Why do you do it? When you have these types of conversations, as soon as you say you look after teenagers many people reel back and exclaim 'you're crazy, why would you do that?' We at Bristol Fostering don't solely look after teenagers but predominantly, and to be honest, despite the hormones, strops, dating, school exams and navigating the world between childhood and adulthood, we find teenagers much easier to look after than little ones. Whilst their are some downsides to looking after teens (the aforementioned hormones for one) there are many pluses but many people are afraid to look after teens. Got to be honest the best bit is they need more sleep. Not that they're lazy, but their bodies, especially their brains, crave more sleep than youngsters. They literally need more sleep in order to develop properly, so unlike the average seven ye...
Post a Comment
Read more

Seeing potential

To most people my garden looks like a wild mess. To some people it looks untended, unkempt and unloved. To a few people, those who pause taking the time to sit and listen, they see its full of bugs and birds and hidden flowers. To me, I see my garden as a work in progress. I don’t see the snapshot others see. I see where it came from. Yes it was wild before, but a different kind of wild. It was harsh. It was brambles, ivy, overgrown hedging and a fallen down tree. I see the flowers growing where before were knots of ivy tendrils and vegetables sewn where previously only thorns were found. I see a repaired greenhouse and a rediscovered path. I see a new seating area, ponds and a bird bath. I see the potential shape of the garden in years to come. I see the jobs that need doing over summer, into autumn and over winter so that it shines again next summer. Why does this matter at all? Well because I know that years of neglect take time to heal. A garden no...
Post a Comment
Read more