When people think about fostering, they often imagine opening their home to a child full-time.
But sometimes, making a life-changing difference starts with just one weekend a month.
Through Share the Care, Foster South Glos’ short break fostering programme, carers provide planned stays for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. These regular breaks give families valuable time to rest and recharge, while children enjoy new experiences, build confidence and develop lasting relationships with trusted adults.
For many carers, it’s one of the most rewarding decisions they’ve ever made.
Meet some of our short break carers
Linda and Richard
For Linda and Richard, becoming short break carers felt like a natural next step after careers working with young people.
Matched with two brothers with learning difficulties, they focused on creating a warm, supportive environment built around routine, respect and encouragement.
They established family traditions such as eating meals together, helping to lay the table and planning weekend activities together. Those seemingly small actions helped create consistency and belonging.
One of their proudest memories was seeing a younger child who hadn’t been speaking begin communicating while building Lego with Richard. They also helped another young person discover his talent for maths and build the confidence to tackle challenges that once felt overwhelming.
Jenny
For Jenny, Share the Care has become a way of life.
She has spent more than 22 years supporting children and young people through short break fostering after being inspired by her own experiences as a parent and by foster carers who had supported her family.
Today, she cares for a young man with complex health needs who stays with her for two weekends each month. Together they enjoy long walks, bus rides, music and spending time in the community.
Jenny speaks warmly about the trust that develops between carers and families.
Chris
Like many Share the Care carers, Chris never planned to become a foster carer.
Her journey began when a health visitor asked whether she could help a family struggling to find care for their autistic son. One act of kindness grew into years of supporting families across South Gloucestershire.
Over time, her whole family became involved. Cinema trips, bowling and family days out became opportunities to include the young people she supported. The impact was so significant that one of her daughters went on to become a learning disability nurse and later a Share the Care carer herself.
Chris believes one of the greatest strengths of short break fostering is its flexibility.
Could you Share the Care?
If you’ve ever thought about fostering but assumed it wouldn’t fit around your lifestyle, short break fostering could be the perfect opportunity.
For one child, one weekend a month could become the highlight of their calendar.
And for you, it could become one of the most rewarding things you ever do.
Interested in becoming a Short Break Foster Carer?
Get in touch to find out more about Share the Care and how you could help local children and families thrive.
