What is short-term or temporary foster care?

Short-term or temporary foster care provides a safe and nurturing home for children while their long-term care plan is being worked out. It supports children during times of transition, such as family crisis, hospital discharge, or while decisions are made about restoration or permanent care.

How long does a short-term foster care placement last?

Short-term placements can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months (up to 24 months). The length depends on each child's circumstances and the outcome of children's court or care planning. While the time frame is temporary, the need for stability and care is always important.

Do I get to choose the placements I accept?

Yes. Anglicare will always talk with you about a potential placement before you agree to care for a child. You'll receive relevant information available and have the opportunity to ask questions, so you can make decisions that suit your home, lifestyle and capacity.

Can I work full-time and still be a short-term foster carer?

It's possible, depending on the needs of the child and your flexibility. Some carers balance fostering with work, especially if they have support networks or flexible arrangements. During the application process, Anglicare will help you explore what's realistic for your situation.

What happens to the child after the short-term placement?

Every child's journey is different. After a short-term placement, a child may return to their birth family, move into long-term care, or be placed with relatives. As a short-term carer, your role is to support them during the transition with compassion and stability.

Skip to main

Short-term Foster Care

Enquire now

Stability when it's needed most

Short-term foster care provides a safe and loving home for children during times of change or uncertainty. Some children may stay for just a few months, while others may need support for up to two years.

As a short-term foster carer, you could be the steady presence a child needs while their long-term plan is worked out. Whether it's supporting a child through family crisis, or caring while the court decides next steps, short-term carers offer a vital bridge to stability.

Understanding short-term Foster Care

Providing temporary homes for children in need

Short-term foster care is all about stepping in when children need support during transitional periods. These placements are temporary but meaningful, offering safety and stability, for children who may be feeling uncertain or unsettled.

From tiny babies needing care after birth to children and young people facing major change at home, short-term foster care brings comfort and calm when it's needed most.

Why children need short-term foster placements

There are many reasons a child might need short-term care. Their parents or carer may be in hospital, facing a health crisis or struggling to cope. They may require short-term care due to safety risks at home. The child may be waiting for a long-term placement or for a decision about whether they can safely return home.

Short-term care is about providing consistency and nurturing support while a child's longer-term situation is resolved. It gives children space to rest, recover and feel safe.

Who can become a short-term foster carer?

You don't need any special qualifications to start. If you're over 21, in good health and ready to open your home, you could become a short-term foster carer. Carers come from all walks of life – singles, couples, families, renters and homeowners.

Short-term care may suit people who can offer flexibility and stability for a few months at a time. You'll need to be patient, reliable and willing to work with a child's care team to support them through transition.

Role of a short-term foster carer

The time may be short, but the impact is lasting. As a short-term foster carer, you help children find stability through routines, reassurance and a sense of safety while they wait for their next step.

By creating a calm and stable home, you help them feel safe and valued during a time that is often confusing or frightening . Many carers find short-term care incredibly rewarding, knowing they've made a real difference by being there when it mattered most.

How Anglicare supports short-term carers

Training and ongoing guidance

You'll receive comprehensive training before you welcome your first child into your home with additional resources and learning opportunities along the way. Anglicare helps you build the skills and confidence you need to care well.

Financial support

Short-term carers receive an allowance to help cover the cost of caring for the child's needs. We'll also guide you through what expenses are reimbursed and what financial support is available.

Emergency support and resources

24/7 assistance is available in emergencies. No matter the situation, help is just a phone call away.

Learn more about how Anglicare supports carers

The application process

You don't need to have everything figured out before you begin. The application process is designed to be clear, supportive and paced to suit you. We'll help you understand what's involved and make sure you feel prepared for each step, from your first inquiry through to becoming an authorised carer.

We'll take the time to match you with children or young people who best suit your strengths, availability and home life.

Find out more about the application process

Real stories of short-term Foster Care

Short-term foster care has been a good option for us. Over the past twelve years we've welcomed children for just a few months and others for longer depending on what was needed. No doubt it's always hard to say goodbye, but we take the time we need in between placements to regroup. It never easy to say goodbye, but we've learned to make peace with it as much as we can. There have been times when one of our own children needed extra focus, like during an HSC year, and we were able to pause. That rhythm has allowed us to keep showing up for children while caring well for our own family too.

Louise, Short term carer*

We have photo albums full of the little babies we've cared for over the years, and when we look back through them, we're filled with hope. Each tiny face reminds us why we're committed to being there in those early months and years. We know from raising our own children how important those early days are, and how much can change. We may not know the whole story of their future, but we pray that the time in our home and the love they've been surrounded with has made a lasting impact.

Jim and Pat, short-term foster carers*

*names and images changed for privacy purposes

Take the first step toward short-term fostering

FAQs about short-term Foster Care

Anglicare acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original and ongoing custodians of the lands and waters on which we live and work.

Inspired by the gospel of reconciliation in Jesus Christ, Anglicare's vision for reconciliation is a nation in which Australia's First Peoples are restored in dignity, respect, empowerment and opportunity.