Can I take my foster family on holiday?
Whether going away abroad or in the UK, holidays can be a great time for relaxing and spending quality time together as a family.
If you’re considering becoming a foster carer or have recently started fostering long-term, you might be wondering if you can include your foster children in your holiday plans.
The answer to this question is usually yes, although careful planning and consideration will be required. Whatever your plans, whether a beach break or countryside escape, there are a few things you will need to consider.
To remove some of the stress and confusion around this topic, we’ve put together this handy guide for foster carers planning their next family holiday.
Know the rules
According to the Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards:
“Children can stay overnight, holiday with friends, or friends and relatives of their foster carer, go on school trips, subject to requirements of the care/placement plan.”
As long as you take the child or young person’s individual needs into consideration, there should not be a problem with taking them away for a short break.
Speak with your supervising social worker
When considering a holiday involving a child or young person in foster care, the first thing you need to do is speak with your supervising social worker. They will be able to provide situation-specific guidance, including whether any additional permissions are required, from a birth parent or local authorities, for example.
Can foster carers take children abroad?
Can you take a foster child out of the country? Whilst trips in the UK are generally more straightforward than overseas holidays, international trips are usually also fine, as long as they are carefully planned.
If the child or young person has never been abroad before, you may want to consider a shorter flight, to make things less daunting. Make sure to speak to them about how they would feel about a holiday.
Jetting off to sunnier climates also comes with a few further considerations, such as making sure the child has a passport, ensuring their vaccinations are up to date, and getting a letter of permission from the local authority, if needed.
Consider holiday expenses
In addition to the regular fostering allowance, Unity foster carers receive an allowance per child to assist with the school holidays. This can contribute to the cost of going away.
Respite care as an alternative option
If for whatever reason, it is decided that you can not take the child you are fostering away with you, it does not mean you cannot go on holiday at all while fostering. All foster carers are entitled to 12 days of paid respite. During this time, the child or young person in your care may temporarily stay with one of our respite carers.
At Unity Foster Care, our team is here for our foster carers 24/7, which includes offering advice about taking children on holiday.
If you’re based in Leeds, Yorkshire, or nearby areas in the North East and are considering fostering, we’d love to hear from you.
Start a conversation by calling us on 0333 772 2333. Alternatively, book an initial chat with our friendly advisor Gemma, who is here to answer any questions and guide you through the fostering process.