Become a Short Breaks foster carer
Short Breaks carers are part-time foster carers who play an important role in the lives of disabled children and young people and their families across the Bradford district.
They provide planned short breaks that give the children and young people the opportunity to enjoy new experiences, make new friends and create happy memories. This might include an overnight stay, or longer periods of time during school holidays. It gives their families a much needed chance to take a break and spend time with other family members
Foster for Bradford is looking for single people and couples to consider becoming part-time Short Breaks foster carers for children with disabilities.
If you are inspired to become a part-time Short Breaks foster carer, like Abby, book a no-obligation call back with our friendly recruitment team and start your fostering journey today.
"Fostering is the best job you can have, but it is so much more than a job"
- Kal and Ash, foster carers
What do Short Breaks foster carers do?
As a Short Breaks foster carer, you'd be helping change children and young people's lives for the better.
Short Breaks fostering is a part-time fostering scheme that provides planned short breaks in the foster carer's home for a child or young person with a disability.
Short Breaks foster carers have fun, go swimming, bake cakes, go on trips, have children over for sleepovers. Then the child goes home.
The foster carers are matched very carefully to make sure they have the skills and experience to provide the kinds of breaks the child or young person will enjoy.
Short Breaks Fostering gives children and young people with disabilities and / or complex health needs planned and ongoing opportunities to:
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have a safe place to build relationships outside their family
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join in activities with another family
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be supported to build independence and choice
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enjoy activities and outings
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try out new experiences
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visit the same Short Breaks family consistently
Who are the children that need Short Breaks?
Foster for Bradford looks after children with a wide range of disabilities and / or complex health needs.
Most of the children live with their families and some live with other foster carers all the time.
They live in the Bradford district.
Some children and young people will have:
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a physical disability
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a learning disability (moderate to severe)
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a sensory impairment
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complex needs including multiple impairments
which may include health needs -
autism
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a combination of the above
Other fostering options
We also offer other part-time fostering options, which may be better suited to your current circumstances and drive to support children from our district.
Learn more about these different types of fostering by downloading our information pack.
How much do Short Breaks foster carers get paid?
Though money should not be your main focus when considering foster care, it is important to know how much you could earn as a Short Breaks foster carer for Foster for Bradford.
Short Breaks foster carers are paid for each session they look after a child or young person.
You would receive a skills-based fostering payment for each session you provide and an allowance for the child, based on their age.
Foster carers income is subject to HMRC's carers' exemption and so is likely to be tax-free.
Part-time fostering is a great option to supplement your income, but it can be complicated to understand the payment structure. We are happy to talk this through with you, no obligations. You can also download our rates sheet.
Are there any special requirements to be a Short Breaks foster carer?
Though part-time foster carers don’t look after a child full-time, you still need to meet all of the national fostering requirements.
This includes being aged over 21, having a spare bedroom and fluency in the English language. You can learn more about our fostering requirements here.
If you would like to foster children who have complex health needs or disabilities who require part-time specialist care, you may have to have experience in this area.
If this is an area of fostering you are interested in, we are always looking for foster families who can provide specialist care as well.
