Service Description: Fostering is substitute family care for children and young people who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to live with their own families. Services available via the Fostering Service are Long Term Fostering, Short Term Fostering, Respite Care, Day Care Providers, Family Link and Combined Accomodation Scheme (CAS). The service currently consists of 3 Units and a Fostering Duty Worker.
Answer: • Children of all ages can be abused. • Child abuse can happen to children from any social background • Children who have learning difficulties, physical disabilities or sensory impairment (children without sight or hearing) are more likely to suffer abuse and they may find it even more difficult to tell someone if they are being abused. • Children are not always abused by a stranger. In fact experience shows that they are often abused by someone they or their family know, a relative, friend or trusted outsider. • Children may also be sexually, physically or emotionally abused by other children or young people in their family or outside.