Emergency foster care is about stepping in at a moment’s notice to offer a child safety, comfort, and reassurance when something unexpected has happened.
Emergency fostering is when a child or young person is placed with a foster carer very quickly and often with little warning – usually on the same day, sometimes even overnight.
These placements happen when a child needs to leave their current situation immediately due to safety concerns, crisis, or unforeseen circumstances. Emergency foster carers are ready to open their home at short notice, offering calm and stability at a critical time.
There are many reasons a child might need an emergency foster placement, such as:
In these moments, children are often scared, confused, and unsure of what’s happening. Your role as an emergency foster carer is to make them feel safe, cared for, and supported, even if it’s just for a night or two.
Emergency foster placements are usually very short-term – often just a few nights or up to a week. In some cases, they may extend while longer-term plans are being made.
The goal is always to keep the child safe and supported, while social workers work quickly to decide the next best step – whether that’s returning home, moving to a relative’s care, or transitioning into short-term or long-term fostering.
If you’re calm under pressure, flexible, and can offer a safe home at short notice, you could be an incredible emergency foster parent.
You don’t need to have experience – just the right qualities:
We welcome people from all backgrounds, and we’ll support you every step of the way.
The process to become an emergency foster carer is the same as with other types of fostering. Here’s how it works with Family Works:
We offer 24/7 support, training, and a generous fostering allowance to help you care confidently, even in the most unexpected situations.
Talk to us today about becoming an emergency foster carer. Call us on 01702967635
get in touch via email on via email on: contact@fw-fostering.co.uk.