Exploring Part-Time Foster Care: A Foster Carer’s Perspective

• Fostering Stories
• Tags: Part time (Respite) Carers

Sometimes, all it takes is a week to change a child's life—and, in return, have your own life transformed. This is the story about the impact of part-time fostering and how for foster carers Phil and Helenor it developed into something more.

Part-time fostering can be planned and predictable

"We were asked by our social worker if we could help care for a young boy who had been in foster care all his life. His long-term foster carer was due to go into hospital for an operation and needed someone to step in for a week.

A week before his stay, we visited him at his permanent foster carer’s home. We spent time getting to know him in his familiar environment and invited him over to our house for tea. During his visit, we showed him the room where he’d be staying and gave him a tour of our home, helping him feel comfortable and welcome.

By the time he came to stay with us, he already felt like he knew us, and we felt the same about him. Those little steps—meeting him beforehand and showing him around—made the whole experience smoother and less overwhelming for everyone involved.

Part-time fostering, like respite care, is such a rewarding way to make a difference. It allows foster carers to support children while balancing other commitments, like work or family, without needing to take on full-time care. It’s about being there when needed, offering a safe and caring space, and making a positive impact in a child’s life, even for a short time."

• “Part-time foster care is an incredible way to offer children stability and care, even for short periods. You might think a weekend doesn’t make much of a difference, but for the child, it can be a lifeline.” Phil

When part-time fostering becomes something more!

"Another time, a social worker dropped a six-year-old boy off at our house. He had just entered the care system with very little warning, and our initial plan was simple: keep him safe and help him feel secure.

At first, we thought it would just be a short-term arrangement—a week, maybe two. But as time went on, it became clear that he couldn’t return home to his birth family. There were no relatives or friends who could step in to care for him, either.

The days turned into weeks, and then into months. During that time, we saw him grow and thrive. He settled into our home, into our lives, and the bond we developed with him grew stronger each day.

After a year, it was obvious—he was happy living with us, and we couldn’t imagine life without him. What started as part-time care turned into something much bigger. We transitioned from short-term carers to long-term foster parents, and it felt like the most natural progression.

Ten years later, he’s still with us. He’s become such a huge part of our family that it’s hard to believe he wasn’t always here. Fostering, even on a part-time basis, has the power to create lasting, life-changing connections—not just for the children we care for, but for us as carers as well.

Every foster journey is unique, but this experience has shown us how even a short-term commitment can grow into something extraordinary. Providing stability, care, and love—even for a short while—can truly transform a young persons life, including your own."