When people think about fostering, they often picture welcoming a child into their home full time. But fostering isn’t one-size-fits-all. At Foster Wales RCT, there are different ways to support children and young people, and one of those is offering short-term support.
Support care can involve short breaks, overnight stays, weekend breaks or regular visits. It offers children and young people the chance to spend time with another caring family while helping to strengthen the support network around them. Because when it comes to fostering, it really does take a village.
For foster carers Shan and Steff, offering support on a short-term basis has become a rewarding way to make a difference.
“We absolutely love what we do as respite carers and have made lots of fab connections with foster carers and children in care.”
Shan is now retired, while her husband Steff works part time as a paramedic. The couple have two adult children and first saw the impact of fostering through their youngest son and daughter-in-law, who fostered for seven years.
“We played a big part in their fostering journey,” says Shan. “Seeing the difference fostering could make inspired us to get involved ourselves.”
Today, Shan and Steff provide regular short breaks for children and young people, ranging from overnight stays to visits lasting up to two weeks. They often support the same children over time, building trusted relationships and becoming part of a child’s extended circle of support.
As well as planned short breaks, they have also provided emergency care when needed, stepping in to help at short notice.
One of the things they enjoy most is seeing the connections they have built grow stronger over time.
“Lots of children ask to come back to us,” says Shan.
Why having a break matters
Support care plays an important role in helping fostering arrangements thrive.
For foster carers and their wider families, short breaks provide valuable time to recharge, manage family commitments and return to fostering feeling re-energised. It can create opportunities to reconnect with partners and birth children, attend important family events or simply take the time needed to maintain a healthy balance.
For children and young people, support care offers something equally important: new experiences, focused attention and the opportunity to build relationships with additional safe and trusted adults. Having more caring people in their corner can help children feel supported, valued and connected.
Support care can also benefit the relationship between a child and their foster family. During challenging periods, a short break can provide everyone with the space to reset, helping strengthen relationships and supporting long-term stability.
There’s more than one way to foster
Shan and Steff’s story highlights an important message. There is more than one way to foster.
Not everyone is in a position to provide full-time care, but many people could offer an occasional overnight stay, a regular weekend break or support during school holidays. These opportunities can make a huge difference to children and foster families alike.
For some people, support care can also be the perfect introduction to fostering. It offers the chance to build confidence and gain experience within a planned and defined arrangement. Carers can develop their understanding of fostering, learn what works for their family and explore which ages, needs and routines might suit them best.
The flexibility of support care can make fostering possible alongside employment, retirement, family commitments and other responsibilities. It can also help demystify fostering by giving people first-hand experience of what fostering can look like before considering longer-term care.
An important part of the village
Support carers are a vital part of the fostering community. They provide children with additional trusted adults, support foster families when they need it most and help create the strong networks that allow children to flourish.
For Shan and Steff, every overnight stay, weekend break and return visit is an opportunity to make a positive difference in a child’s life.
Their story is a reminder that fostering isn’t only about providing a home. Sometimes, it’s about being part of the village around a child. And sometimes, making a difference starts with just one stay at a time.
Take a look at our Types of Fostering page to find out how you could foster!
