Emergency fostering provides an immediate, safe place for children who can no longer stay at home due to a sudden crisis or safety concern. It can happen at any time of the day or night, often with just a few hours’ notice.
Placements may last for a single night, several days, or sometimes a few weeks - until professionals determine the most suitable longer-term plan for the child.
At New Chapters Fostercare, we work with local authorities across Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the wider West Midlands to ensure that children in urgent need are placed quickly and compassionately with experienced foster carers.
Children arriving in an emergency are often frightened, confused, and have very few belongings.
Emergency foster carers must be calm, patient, and emotionally resilient. They:
Being available 24/7 and providing a consistent, caring environment helps children begin to feel safe and start rebuilding trust.
Emergency Foster carers liaise with a range of professionals from police officers, social workers, teachers, therapists to court officials. These professionals contribute to the assessments taking place on the child. The foster carers too contribute to this assessment by recording how the child is coping in foster care and observing and recording what the child shares about their home life.
Many emergency foster carers say that offering a child safety and comfort in a moment of crisis gives them a powerful sense of purpose. They know that, at what might be one of the most frightening moments in a child’s life, they have been able to provide warmth, calm and security.
Carers often tell us that they didn’t realise how many children live in unsafe or unstable situations until they began fostering. For some, it opens their eyes to the realities of domestic violence, substance misuse, severe neglect or poverty — the hidden struggles that leave children without a safe place to stay.
This experience changes people. It builds deep empathy, patience and understanding. Many carers say that being part of a child’s journey, even briefly, has been one of the most rewarding things they’ve ever done — whether the child eventually returns home, moves to long-term foster care or is adopted.
“Our job is to make sure no child faces crisis alone. Even a few hours of safety can make all the difference.”
Craig Walton, Strategic Director at New Chapters Fostercare
At New Chapters, we understand the demands of emergency fostering and provide a high level of wrap-around support. Our carers receive:
This structure ensures no carer ever feels alone in the role — there’s always help, advice, and guidance available.
If you live in Shropshire, Staffordshire, or the wider West Midlands, you could make a life-changing difference by offering short-term care to a child in crisis.
Our friendly team will guide you through every step — from your first enquiry to training and approval. You don’t need prior experience, just empathy, flexibility, and a genuine desire to help.
Get in touch today to find out more about becoming an emergency foster carer.
We’ll explain the process, support available, and how you can make a difference — even for just one night.
Craig Walton is the Strategic Director at New Chapters Fostercare. With over 20 years of experience in children’s services and child protection, Craig has supported countless children through crisis and developed training programmes for foster carers across the West Midlands. His focus is on ensuring every carer feels confident, supported, and valued in the vital role they play.
