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With the prospect of more flexible working, professional development and a rewarding role, fostering is an appealing career choice for many.

However, individuals and couples often feel apprehensive to commit to fostering full time due to lack of previous experience or a nervousness to leave existing employment.

Kent Fostering is urging those single people or couples who wish to continue to work full-time but still want to make a difference to a child or young person’s life, to consider respite and short breaks foster care.

As a Respite Foster Carer or Short Breaks Foster Carer for disabled children, you enable children living with their own family or other foster carers to have a temporary stay with you, to give their family or main foster carers some time out and a chance to rest and recuperate.

By providing relief over a short period of time, Respite or Short Break Foster Carers can provide an extended network of support when it is needed most.

The care usually takes place at weekends or during school holidays, hence why Respite and Short Breaks Foster Carers are able to work full time alongside this type of fostering if they want to.

Angela, a Respite Foster Carer with Kent Fostering, has been offering respite care with the service for nine years.

"Respite fostering has been such a positive experience for both me and my family," she said.

"We feel extremely privileged to care for a number of different children in Kent and each child or young person brings qualities, personalities and experiences."

"Being a respite carer brings a lot of satisfaction both personally and professionally and ultimately the impact that respite can have for both the child and their own families or foster carers brings the greatest sense of satisfaction of all.

"We treat each child’s stay with us as a mini-holiday, we ensure that they experience lots of fun and plan a range of activities, make lots of memories and even for the short time they are with us, every child becomes a part of our extended family."

Fostering is extremely rewarding but can present its challenges and so respite foster care and short breaks provides crucial support to families and foster carers needing time to restore and recharge from their full-time caring role.

Kent Fostering is keen to add to its existing pool of both Respite Foster Carers and Short Breaks Foster Carers.

As a Respite Foster Carer or Short Breaks Foster Carer with Kent Fostering, breaks are usually planned in advance, to give the child or young person the opportunity to see where they will be staying, get to know the carer a little and help the carer identify what the child or young person might like to do while staying with them.

Over time a trusted relationship between child and carer can then develop, particularly when respite and short breaks are provided by the same foster carer, which is always the aim.

This way, even when the child or young person is away from their family or main foster carers, there is still stability and familiarity for them, with people that they trust and can have fun with. This is particularly important for disabled children and young people, who often have additional care needs and require regular short breaks to support their main placement in a way that does not cause too much disruption.

Michaela, foster carer for Kent Fostering, shared: “As full time foster carers, respite not only gives us the opportunity of a short break from the high needs of our foster child, but also gives us time to reconnect as a family unit without having to worry about social worker meetings or any of the other commitments of being a foster carer.

"We are fortunate that our foster child has fantastic Respite Carers, who we work closely with to ensure all his routines, likes and dislikes are accounted for, and he always has a wonderful time doing fun activities with them."

Kent Fostering provides full training to all new foster carers regardless of the type of fostering they are looking to provide and ensure they are fully equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence to fulfil their role.

As Short Breaks Carers further training is provided to support you in the role of caring for disabled children, alongside specialist and expert advice and guidance. Although previous experience is not essential, a successful Respite Carer will possess the following qualities: energy, patience, tolerance, compassion, commitment and flexibility.

Mark Vening, head of Kent Fostering, said: “If you think you have the skills, time, space and energy to offer respite or short breaks care for children and young people in our county, please get in touch with our enquiries team today.”

Respite fostering is flexible and is ideal for both couples and/or single people and for those who wish to continue to work.

If you are considering becoming a foster carer but are not yet ready to commit to providing full time foster care, then respite or short breaks can be a great way to gain experience and confidence before committing to fostering longer-term whilst knowing that you are making a valuable difference and contribution to both the child, their families or foster carers life.

To find out more about Kent Fostering and how you could become a foster carer, call 03000420002 or visit www.kentfostering.co.uk for more information.