Discover if you can change a child's life
and how a child may change yours.
What is foster care?
The basics
Foster carers provide a family life for children and young adults who can’t live with their birth parents for various reasons.
Foster parents give foster children the vital security and love they need to help them reach their potential.
How long
Foster care can range from weeks to years, depending on the circumstances.
Fostering is not the same as adopting, which is permanent. Foster care ends when the child is reunited with their birth family or when an alternative suitable care arrangement is made.
Challenge
Many children will have experienced difficulties. They need someone patient and loving who can keep them safe and strong physically and emotionally.
Don’t let this scare you, Hong Kong’s comprehensive foster care programmes provide training and support every step of the way.
Hong Kong has 1000+ amazing foster care families.
We need more.
FAQ
Why should I consider becoming a foster parent?
Foster caring service benefits everyone involved. The majority of foster parents find it a challenging yet rewarding experience. They learnt more about themselves while making a life-changing positive influence on a child.
Younger family members can benefit with the companion of foster children, especially for improving their social skills and becoming more caring to others’ needs.
Am I competent at the role as a foster parent?
Most of the foster parents had similar doubts at the beginning of service. The fact that you are interested in the service shows that you are an empathetic person, which is an important element to the foster care service.
The foster care agency provides comprehensive training and support to guide you along the way so as to facilitate the development of both foster parents and children.
Any requirements to join the service?
Child – loving, patience, and empathy are the most important qualities as a foster parent.
Beyond that, the main requirements are:
- experience and ability in child care
- adequate care plans for children
- stable and good physical and mental health
- harmonious family life
- adequate living space, including provision of separate beds and activity space for foster children
- consent from all family members to participate in foster care service
- readiness to accept assessment and guidance by social workers
Any supports to foster parents?
Foster parents can expect regular home visit and telephone contact from the foster child's designated social worker in order to follow up with the condition of foster children and foster family.
The foster care agency also supports foster parents by providing training workshops, talks, support groups, and experience sharing sessions.
Any financial supports to foster parents?
The Social Welfare Department provides Foster Care Allowance for maintenance of foster children’s monthly expenses, allowing foster parents to focus on child care.
The Social Welfare Department also provides incentive payment for foster parents in order to recognize their contribution.
Should foster family keep contact with birth family?
Generally, foster parents are encouraged to keep contact with birth family with the assessment by social workers. Social workers would help facilitate the communication and cooperation between foster home and birth home. Effective communication among the related parties could help foster children better adjust the family life at foster home, and prepare foster children for family reunion supported by the close relationship with birth family.
Where can I get more details?
For more information, please kindly contact us at ntlk@hkfws.org.hk , or on 2497 9079.
Our social workers would be happy to answer your questions, including the eligible criteria for application and matching process.
You have the opportunity to make a huge difference in a child’s life.
Give it a chance.
Let's continue the conversation.
Email us at ntlk@hkfws.org.hk
Or call 2497 9079
Thank you. Stay in touch :-)