Emergency fostering is one of the most vital and responsive roles within the fostering community. It provides immediate care for children who need a safe and supportive home at very short notice.
At Surrey County Council, we are always looking for compassionate, flexible individuals who can open their homes and hearts to children in urgent need.
Page contents
- What Is Emergency Fostering?
- Why Emergency Foster Care is so important
- What does Emergency Fostering look like
- When is Emergency Fostering needed
- Additional support for Emergency Foster Carers
- Thinking about Emergency Fostering and want to learn more?
What is Emergency Fostering?
Emergency foster carers, on a rota basis, provide short-term care for children who are unable to remain in their current home due to an unexpected crisis.
These unplanned placements often occur outside of normal working hours, sometimes in the middle of the night or over a weekend. A child may stay for just a few nights or up to 10 days, while social workers assess the situation and determine the best next steps.
Why Emergency Foster Care is so important
Children placed in emergency care are often experiencing significant distress. They may have been removed from their home due to domestic violence, a sudden illness or death in the family, or serious safeguarding concerns. In these moments of upheaval, emergency foster carers provide more than just a roof over a child’s head, they offer stability, reassurance, and kindness when it’s needed most.
By stepping in during a crisis, emergency foster carers help prevent further trauma and give children the space to feel safe while professionals work to find the best long-term solution.
What does Emergency Fostering look like
Emergency Duty Team (EDT) foster care is designed to provide short, safe and supportive stays for children who need somewhere to go at very short notice. These placements usually last up to 13 nights, giving children stability while longer‑term arrangements are made.
In some circumstances, and only by agreement, an EDT Foster Carer may be asked to continue caring for a child for up to an additional five nights. This helps ensure continuity and reduces unnecessary disruption, while still keeping the placement short‑term by design.
Children may be placed in emergency care with little or no notice. These situations arise from unforeseen events such as family breakdown, parental illness, or urgent safeguarding concerns. Emergency carers must be ready to respond quickly and calmly.
Children arriving in emergency placements are often frightened, confused, and emotionally vulnerable. They may have experienced trauma or witnessed distressing events. Emergency foster carers play a crucial role in helping them feel safe, valued, and supported during this difficult time.
Emergency foster carers need to be highly adaptable. You must be prepared to welcome a child into your home at any time of the day or night. This role requires patience, empathy, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
Emergency fostering provides a safe, temporary place to stay when a child needs immediate support. During this short period, social workers focus on understanding the child’s situation and making plans for the next step in their journey, whether that is returning home, staying with family or friends, or moving to another short‑term arrangement.
The purpose of EDT and emergency fostering is not to place children into long‑term care, but to ensure they are safe, supported and cared for while decisions are made about what happens next.
When is Emergency Fostering needed
Emergency fostering may be required in a variety of situations, including:
- Parental illness or hospitalisation is when a parent is suddenly unable to care for their child.
- Domestic abuse is when a child needs to be removed from a dangerous home environment.
- Bereavement, which is following the sudden death of a parent or guardian.
- Safeguarding concerns are when a child’s safety is at immediate risk.
- Family breakdown or violence is when conflict or instability makes it unsafe for a child to remain at home.
Additional support for Emergency Foster Carers
We recognise the unique demands of emergency fostering and provide enhanced support to help you succeed in this role:
- Higher financial allowances: Emergency foster carers receive additional payments to reflect the flexibility and availability required.
- Specialist training: Emergency Duty Team (EDT) Foster Carers also have access to the same high‑quality training and learning opportunities as all other Surrey Foster Carers, ensuring you feel confident, prepared and supported in your role.
- 24/7 support: As an EDT Foster Carer, you’re never on your own. You have round‑the‑clock support from our Emergency Duty Team, made up of qualified social work staff who are on call outside of office hours. Whether you need guidance, reassurance, or advice about an unexpected situation, someone is always available to help.
Thinking about Emergency Fostering and want to learn more?
Take our quick Could You Foster? quiz or order a free brochure to learn more about how fostering could fit into your life.