What happens when respite care ends?

When respite care ends, the focus shifts to helping the child settle into the next stage of their care arrangement and checking that their needs continue to be met. This may involve returning to their usual foster home, moving to another agreed placement or, if plans have changed, considering a further arrangement with the child’s social work team.

The transition should be handled in line with the child’s care plan and their age, understanding and communication needs. A child may appear pleased to return, unsettled by the change, or show mixed feelings about leaving the respite foster carer. These reactions do not necessarily mean that respite has been unsuccessful. Changes in routine can affect behaviour, sleep, appetite and emotional regulation, sometimes after the child has returned home.

After the child leaves, the adults involved should consider:

• how the child presented before, during and after the respite stay;
• whether routines, boundaries or calming approaches worked well;
• any changes in mood, behaviour, health or personal care;
• medication, appointments, school information or other follow-up matters;
• belongings, documents and personal items that need to travel with the child;
• any incidents, disclosures, injuries or safeguarding concerns that require recording or reporting; and
• whether the child needs additional reassurance, contact or professional support.

The respite foster carer should pass on relevant observations through the agreed channels rather than relying on informal messages. Records should be factual, dated and clear about what was observed, what the child said and what action was taken. Confidential information should only be shared with people who are authorised to receive it.

The child’s usual foster carer may need time to re-establish familiar routines. It can help to keep expectations clear and manageable at first, particularly if the child is tired or has experienced a lot of change. The foster carer should listen without pressing the child to give an account of every part of the stay. Open questions, such as asking what felt easy or difficult, may be more useful than asking whether everything was fine.

Children should be given an appropriate opportunity to express their views about the respite arrangement. A younger child may communicate through play, behaviour or drawings, while an older child may prefer a private conversation. Their views should be recorded and considered alongside observations from the foster carers and professionals. A child should not be made to feel responsible for deciding whether respite care is used again.

A review after respite can help establish:

• whether the arrangement met its intended purpose;
• what the child found helpful or difficult;
• whether the handover and practical arrangements worked properly;
• whether the usual foster family received enough information and support;
• whether the respite foster carer can meet the child’s needs in future; and
• whether the care plan or future respite arrangements need to be adjusted.

A review does not have to be treated as a judgement on one person. It is an opportunity to identify patterns and make future arrangements safer and more suitable. For example, the team may decide that the child needs a more gradual introduction, clearer preparation, a different level of supervision, or a respite carer with experience relevant to the child’s needs.

If the child does not return as expected, becomes distressed, goes missing, makes a safeguarding disclosure or presents an immediate risk to themselves or others, the foster carer should follow the agreed emergency and safeguarding procedures and contact the appropriate social work professional. Foster carers should not try to resolve a serious concern by themselves or delay reporting it until a routine review.

Respite care may also end early if the arrangement is no longer safe or suitable. In that situation, the child’s social worker and the fostering service should agree what happens next, taking account of the child’s welfare and any legal or care-plan requirements. The reason for ending the arrangement should be recorded, and the child should receive an age-appropriate explanation that does not blame them.

For foster families, the end of respite can also be a useful point to reflect on their own capacity. They may need to discuss tiredness, concerns about the child’s behaviour, or practical difficulties with their supervising social worker. Raising these issues early helps the fostering team consider appropriate support and whether future respite should be planned differently.

There is no single emotional response that proves a transition has gone well. The more useful indicators are whether the child is safe, whether their care needs are being met, whether the adults understand what happened, and whether any concerns are acted on. Ongoing communication with the child’s social work team and fostering professionals helps ensure that learning from one respite period informs future care.