Our special placement scheme provides therapeutic care to children from seven years on and emergency care is generally very short term care.
The special placement scheme
Our special placement scheme is well established and provides therapeutic care for children whilst still being able to live within a family. The foster carers on this scheme work as part of a small team and work equally closely with the therapists and consultants we use.
They care for some of our most traumatised and troubled children who we try to bring onto the scheme as young as possible preferably from 8 years old. This is a scheme which offers a high level of support and financial remuneration. Being a foster carer on the special placement scheme is a full time job and requires absolute dedication.
To apply to be a foster carer on this scheme you would normally need to have experience of fostering and also experience and skills of working in a therapeutic way with very troubled children.
Some part-time foster carers with the same kind of skills and experience can offer short breaks, (for example at week-ends and the school holidays) for the children on the scheme. This is to give them and their main foster carers some time off.
Emergency placements
We have a rota of foster carers who are able to keep a spare room available for emergencies. You would need to have some experience as a foster carer before offering to join the rota. Children and young people sometimes need a safe family in an emergency on an evening, in the night or at the weekend.
East Sussex County Council