Parent & Child Fostering: Keeping Families Together

In this episode of the Able to Care podcast, Andy Baker is joined by experienced foster carer Kaye Beatty, who has dedicated over 14 years to fostering, including seven transformative parent and child placements. Together, they unpack the unique challenges and rewards of supporting not only children, but parents learning to care for their babies — a fostering path that helps keep families together whenever possible.

From the emotional highs of seeing parents thrive, to the difficult decisions when placements break down, this conversation gives a raw, honest, and deeply human insight into one of the most impactful forms of foster care.

---

🙌 Sponsored by Carers Card UK

We’re proud to be sponsored by Carers Card UK, the UK’s number one carers card. Founded by two friends who wanted to give carers the recognition and support they deserve, Carers Card UK offers:

✅ An ID card with emergency information
✅ Access to a wellbeing hub and Carers Circle tool
✅ A community through their app
✅ Discounts on everyday essentials — from days out to gym memberships

Take care of yourself while you care for others — order yours today using our promo link:
👉  🎟️ Order your card today

---

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Carers Card UK:  🎟️ Order your card today

• Andy Baker’s Book: Targeting the Positive with Behaviours That Challenge

---

💡 Three Key Messages

1️⃣ Parent and child placements give families a vital chance to stay together, but require patience, empathy, and consistent boundaries.

2️⃣ Foster carers in these roles are not just providing a safe home, but also coaching, mentoring, and supporting parents to build confidence and skills.

3️⃣ With the right training, supervision, and agency support, more foster carers could help meet the urgent need for parent and child placements.

---

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 — Introduction to Carers Card UK and their mission
01:48 — Welcome to the podcast & introduction to Kaye Beatty
02:15 — What are parent and child placements?
06:00 — How Kaye began fostering
15:00 — The unique challenges of supporting parents
22:00 — Emotional highs and lows of placements
32:00 — Differences between traditional fostering and parent/child placements
44:00 — Reflections on personal growth and seeing parents thrive
51:00 — Why more parent and child foster carers are needed
56:00 — Final thoughts and takeaways

---

🎧 Why Listen to This Episode?

If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of parent and child foster care, this conversation will open your eyes. Hear real-life stories of resilience, challenge, and transformation, and learn how foster carers can empower parents to give their children the best start in life. Whether you’re a social worker, carer, educator, or simply curious about fostering, this episode is a must-listen.

---

🌐 Connect With Us

📲 Instagram: @AbleTraining
📲 LinkedIn: Able Training
📲 TikTok: @AbleToCarePodcast
🌐 Website: AbleHub.uk

👉 If you found this episode valuable, please like, comment, and share to help us reach more carers and families who might benefit.