How do I arrange childcare while fostering and working?

Childcare while fostering and working needs to be planned around the child’s individual needs, your work pattern and the fostering service’s safeguarding requirements. A suitable arrangement may involve a partner, relatives or trusted friends, registered childcare, school-based provision, or a combination of these. The important point is that the plan must provide consistent, safe care and be agreed with your fostering service before it is used.

Start with the child’s needs. Foster children may have experienced neglect, abuse, disrupted relationships or several moves. This can affect how they respond to new carers, unfamiliar settings, changes in routine and separation from their foster carer. A childcare plan that works for one placement may not be suitable for another. Consider the child’s age, development, emotional wellbeing, communication needs, medical requirements, school arrangements and any contact with their birth family.

Some children may manage a nursery, childminder, breakfast club or after-school club well. Others may need a smaller setting, a familiar adult or care within the foster household. Your fostering service should help you assess what is appropriate when considering a placement.

Possible childcare arrangements include:

• care from your partner, provided they are able and approved to take on the relevant responsibilities;
• support from relatives or close friends who have been discussed with and assessed by the fostering service where necessary;
• a registered childminder, nursery or out-of-school club;
• breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and school holiday activities;
• help from another approved foster carer, where this forms part of an agreed support arrangement;
• planned respite care, if this is appropriate for the child and arranged through the fostering service.

Regular childcare providers may need to complete safeguarding checks or provide information about their registration, qualifications and policies. The exact requirements depend on the arrangement, the child’s circumstances and the fostering service’s procedures. Do not assume that a relative or long-standing friend can provide unsupervised care without checking first.

Discuss the arrangement during assessment. Explain your working hours, travel requirements, usual school run, business trips, holiday arrangements and any times when your work pattern changes. You may be asked who will collect the child, where they will be cared for, how information will be shared and what will happen if the usual carer is unavailable. This helps the assessing social worker consider whether your household can meet the demands of fostering alongside employment.

It is useful to prepare a written childcare plan covering:

• the days and times when childcare is needed;
• school drop-offs, collections and transport to activities or appointments;
• who has permission to care for the child and for how long;
• how medication, allergies, dietary needs and bedtime routines will be managed;
• how the childcare provider will contact you and your fostering service;
• what will happen if you are delayed, unwell or called into work unexpectedly;
• arrangements for school holidays, inset days and changes to your work rota;
• how confidentiality and the child’s personal information will be protected.

Overnight and extended care require particular care. An occasional babysitter arrangement is different from a child staying regularly with another household or being cared for overnight. Your fostering service may need to assess the proposed carers, agree the arrangement formally and consider whether it fits the child’s care plan. A foster child should not be passed between carers simply to fit around work without considering the effect on their stability and relationships.

Babysitters should understand the household’s safer-care expectations, including boundaries around supervision, visitors, photographs, social media, transport and physical contact. They should know what to do in an emergency and who to contact. The child should not be expected to explain their history or personal information to the childcare provider; relevant information should be shared appropriately by the foster carer or fostering service.

Build in a backup plan. Childcare can be disrupted by illness, school closures, transport problems or an unexpected change at work. Identify at least one alternative arrangement and check that it is acceptable for the particular placement. If your work involves frequent travel, long shifts or limited flexibility, discuss how this would be managed before accepting a placement. You may need to consider placements whose age, needs and routines are compatible with your availability.

Childcare costs should be discussed with your fostering service before you make financial commitments. Fostering allowances are intended to help meet the costs of caring for a child, but the way childcare expenses are treated can depend on the fostering service, the placement and the type of provision. Ask what support or approval is available rather than assuming that every cost will be reimbursed.

Your fostering service should also be told if your circumstances change. A new job, different shift pattern, move to another workplace, change in childcare provider or increase in travel may require the plan to be reviewed. The arrangement must continue to support the child’s safety, routines and welfare, not just cover the hours when you are at work.

Working does not automatically prevent someone from fostering. The key consideration is whether the combined plan—including childcare, support from your household and help from the fostering service—gives the child reliable care and allows you to meet the responsibilities of fostering. Raise practical questions early in the assessment so that any proposed arrangement can be considered before you apply for or accept a placement.