Foster care is always intended as a temporary arrangement for a child who should, ideally, return to their own family.

When a child leaves foster care, particularly if they have been there for the medium to longer-term, if often leaves the foster carers with a mixture of emotions.

They may feel some satisfaction in having helped play a part in bringing about a change for the better in the child's and their family's circumstances.

Others may feel apprehensive about the child's future welfare.

It is only natural that foster carers will feel some sense of loss. To some extent, heartache goes with the territory in fostering. Carers should be able to discuss their feelings about a child leaving with their support worker.

Sometimes foster carers maintain contact with the child and their family for a short time afterwards.

And some children develop fond memories of their foster carers and keep in touch with them for the rest of their lives.

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