Guernsey Foster Care and Adoption is managed by social workers from the Family Placement Service. We are a team of eight people consisting of senior social work practitioners, supervising social workers and a team manager. Our entire team is involved in the recruitment, assessment, training, support and supervision of all of our carers and adopters. You will come into contact with different members of the team through training events, support groups and social events.
Foster Care
Sometimes children and young people are unable to live with their own family and they need to be looked after by approved foster carers. As a foster carer, you will care for children and young people in your home for a period of time until they can return to their own family. However, if this is not in their best interest, they may move to other foster carers, be adopted, or remain with you until they can live independently. The length of time a child will be in foster care ranges from overnight to several months or several years.
If fostering is something that’s peaked your interest and you want to know a little more, we have some further information on this page – https://www.guernseyfostercare.com/fostercare
Adoption
When decisions are being made about the long term care needs of children, depending on the age and needs of the child, adoption is a recommendation that can be made. Adoption is a legal way of securing permanent families for children who cannot remain with their own parents or extended birth family. Adopted children lose all legal ties with their birth families and become full members of their adopted families.
If you’re thinking about adoption and would like to know a little bit more about it, please visit this page – https://www.guernseyfostercare.com/adoption
Short Break Care
Our Short break carers look after children with disabilities who generally live at home with their families and are not in care. This service is jointly held between the Family Placement Service and the Child Development Service at Le Rondin. Short break care is used extensively in the UK and can make all the difference to a family and can really benefit children by helping to broaden their world.
The GFCAA
The Guernsey Foster Care & Adoption Association is a registered charity that serves to:
– Inform and support foster carers, adoptive parents and prospective carers and adopters;
– Initiate training in response to the needs of carers and children;
– Provide fostered children and adopted children with experiences that they may not have had;- Organise a range of social activities for fostering families and adoptive families so they can share their experiences and learn from one another;
– Co-lead support groups for foster carers and adoptive parents;
– Work closely with social services but remain independent and able to act as an advocate for carers if needed; and
– Provide toys and equipment for children with a range of special needs.
All foster carers and adoptive parents are automatically members of the association if they want to be and there is no membership fee.
If you would like to know more or to take that first step, please contact one of our social workers by telephone, email or complete the form on the website and we will be in touch.
