Article: Different ways of fostering Article Body There are many different types of fostering that people choose to specialise in. All of them come with different challenges and rewards and the more that people learn about fostering the more they realise which type of fostering they and their family would be most suited to. Foster carers are approved to look after children for certain lengths of time. They will also specialise in looking after children of certain ages and girls or boys. Short term fostering This can mean anything from an overnight stay, to months up to two years. Short term foster carers provide a temporary place to stay until the child can return home to their own family or a long term fostering or adoption placement. As a short term foster carer you will be helping the child to keep in contact with their own family, working with social workers and other professionals to decide the best plan for the child and then helping a child to move on. It's a way of helping a lot of different children at difficult times in their lives and helping them to move on in a positive way. Long term fostering Long term fostering allows children to stay in a family where they can feel secure, while maintaining contact with their birth family. We need long term carers for children aged over seven years. Some of these children have experienced very troubled early lives and caring for them can be challenging. They need carers who can make a commitment to them and support them through until they become adult. Respite fostering This covers a variety of different types of part time care, including offering a break to the family of a child with disabilities, or a break for a foster family. A child could come and stay for anything from a few hours each week to a couple of weekends each month. Respite foster carers can be in full time employment and want to make a commitment for weekends only.