Why children need fostering

When a child cannot live with their own family, Hampshire County Council is responsible for their well-being and care until they are able to return to their family or, for some children, while permanent plans are made for their future.

Children need to be looked after outside their own families for a range of reasons which could include:

neglect, abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), risk of harm at home
a parent who needs help and support for reasons ranging from recovering from alcohol or drug issues or a mental health problem, or if they have broken the law
family relationship problems, or relationship breakdown
sometimes children may have lost their parents and extended family are unable to support them, or their extended family need a bit of extra help to look after them.
a disabled child and their primary caregiver both support for a short break

Every child’s story is as unique as they are, and so each child needs their foster carer to offer them the support they need to help them learn, grow and achieve - and benefit from positive family experiences.

Foster carers obviously need a high level of support to offer the nurturing and encouragement that a child needs. That’s why Hampshire has a comprehensive training and support for their foster carers .