Fostering babies – what you need to know

As a foster carer, you will likely look after children of a variety of ages and backgrounds.

In some instances, you may even be looking after a child under two. Babies and infants enter foster care for a variety of reasons akin to those for older children, and you might be wondering if there are any additional requirements when taking care of them.

Here’s what you need to know about fostering babies.

Do babies usually enter foster care?

Yes, babies can enter foster care for a number of reasons, such as if they have suffered from abuse and/or neglect, or if their parents have had health problems.

Alternatively, they could be put on the adoption list, and will be awaiting adoption while you foster them. However, only 6% of babies and infants under two are in the care system, as they are often placed with relatives if their parent or parents cannot look after them adequately. These are often emergency foster placements, where the child is removed from their home immediately if it isn’t safe.

Additionally, social services and local authorities will often place a new parent or parent(s) with a foster carer (known as parent and child fostering) where and when appropriate. This is designed to support the parents in meeting their very young child’s needs, as well as to keep families together.

Experience and training

One key aspect in fostering babies and children under two is that it can be more hands-on than fostering older children, helping them to feed and dress.

Beacon Fostering offers specialist training and support to carers fostering babies, so get in touch today to become part of our network.