Children enter the foster care system for a wide variety of reasons. For some, it’s the death of a parent. For others their biological family simply couldn’t provide the life they need. However, some troubled youngsters end up in care temporarily while they await court proceedings. This type of fostering is known as remand care.
Our remand carers play a very important role in helping children through what is often a difficult and challenging time. In providing a stable environment to live in, they not only have a significant positive impact on a child but may also prevent them being held in custody unnecessarily. Here, we share with you more about remand care and what it involves…
What is remand care?
Remand care is a specialist type of foster care that sees children awaiting court proceedings placed into a secure, stable, loving environment.
With nowhere else to go, these children are often particularly vulnerable during what is undoubtedly a very worrying time in their lives. Rather than sending them into custody, foster homes provide a more positive experience and can play a major role in helping a child to reassess their actions and therefore decrease their chances of re-offending.
It’s also worth noting here that not all children who enter into remand care are guilty. They are simply alleged offenders who have for whatever reason, found themselves on the wrong side of the law.
What does remand care involve?
More often than not, remand care is a short term placement. It is a little more involved than some other types of fostering, but the benefits far outweigh the additional effort.
Remand carers do have a lot more responsibility in so much as they are often required to communicate with solicitors and the court. This can include actually attending any court dates with their foster child. They also need to provide updates and reports on the child’s progress.
Another thing to keep in mind, is that remand placements do tend to arise quickly. This means if you do become a remand carer, you will need to be flexible and able to offer a space in your home with very little notice. You could get a call at any time, day or night, so it’s important to be prepared.
There are some situations where remand care is planned ahead of time, but mostly you will be accepting placements on a more emergency basis.
We know how challenging any type of foster care can be and so we make sure that you never feel alone. Before you take on your first remand placement, we provide you with a dedicated team who will care for you and ensure you receive all the specialist training you need to be an amazing carer. We ensure that you know exactly what is required and how to handle any number of situations. We also provide 24-hour support, 7 days a week so you need never feel alone.
We’re always seeking more remand foster carers so if you want to be part of our team then we would love to hear from you.