Fostering Babies and Under-5s: Routines, Contact and Equipment

Welcoming a baby or toddler into your home is joyful, exhausting, and very different from caring for older children in foster care. Under-5s need responsive, predictable care, with particular attention to safer sleep, feeding, contact (“family time”), and early-years health checks. This guide brings together what UK carers need to know—practical routines that work, how to prepare for contact, the equipment that genuinely helps, and where official guidance sits so you can feel confident day to day.

Why fostering under-5s is different

Babies and toddlers communicate needs through crying, movement and eye contact, not words. Some will arrive with unsettled sleep, feeding difficulties or sensory sensitivities linked to loss and earlier experiences. The aim is to combine responsive care (soothing quickly, reading cues) with gentle structure (predictable patterns for sleeping, feeding and play). Foster carers are expected to record health, development and daily life clearly and share updates with the team around the child. Statutory guidance emphasises the carer’s role in promoting health, maintaining safe routines and supporting family relationships.

Building secure attachment

For babies and toddlers, attachment grows from countless small responses—picking up when they cry, warm eye contact, soft voice, and consistent caregiving. This secure base supports brain development and later behaviour. Keep transitions calm and predictable, narrate what you’re doing, and use the same sleep phrases and mealtime routines every day.

Trauma-informed routines

Even very young children can carry stress in their bodies. Expect startle responses, clinginess or feeding changes after moves or family time. Lower stimulation, slow the pace, and use rhythmic, repetitive play—rocking in your arms, gentle songs, peek-a-boo—to help them regulate.

Partnership approach

Under UK fostering standards, carers must work closely with social workers, health professionals and parents where safe, documenting what you observe and any concerns. Good records support decisions, court processes and health plans.

Getting ready before placement

A little preparation goes a long way. Focus on home safety, health registration, and travel safety.

Home safety and kit set-up

Fit stair gates, window locks and cupboard locks for cleaning products and medicines; keep nappy sacks, cords and small objects well out of reach; and always supervise in the bath (only a few centimetres of water is needed). Remove pillows, cot bumpers and bulky soft toys from sleep spaces.

GP registration and the Red Book/eRedbook

Make sure the child is registered with a GP, and check where the Personal Child Health Record (PCHR “Red Book”) is, or set up eRedbook (the digital version). Health visitors and GPs use this to track growth, immunisations and development; carers can add notes that help professionals see patterns and progress.

Car seats and travel

Children must use an appropriate child car seat until age 12 or 135 cm—whichever comes first. Choose a seat by height (i-Size/R129) or weight; rear-facing for babies and young toddlers is typical. Follow manufacturer instructions and keep harnesses snug and chest clips (if fitted) at armpit height.

Daily routines that work

Think of routine as a flexible framework, not a strict schedule. You’re aiming for predictable when and how, while staying responsive to the child’s cues.

Safer sleep and naps

The safest place for a baby to sleep for the first six months is a clear, flat, firm cot or Moses basket in the same room as you, on their back for every sleep. Keep the sleep space clear—no duvets, pillows, bumpers or loose blankets—and avoid overheating. If you doze off while holding or feeding, return baby to their cot before you sleep; discuss safer bedsharing guidance with your supervising social worker if relevant.

Feeding: bottles, breastfeeding and weaning

Follow the child’s health plan and birth family preferences where appropriate. Sterilise bottles, use paced-bottle techniques to avoid overfeeding, and log intake and timings. Weaning generally starts around 6 months when babies can sit with support and show interest in food; cut small round foods like grapes into quarters to prevent choking and never prop a bottle. RoSPA

Play, tummy time and language

Offer tummy time in short, frequent bursts; use floor play, picture books, nursery rhymes and simple signs. Follow the child’s lead—babies learn best in brief, joyful interactions. Keep screens off for infants and limit noise; background radio is fine, but avoid constant TV.

Contact (“family time”) for babies and toddlers

Family time (traditionally called “contact”) is crucial for identity and relationships. Plans are set out in the care plan and placement agreement and may be direct (in-person) or indirect (video calls, letters, photos). Your role is to prepare, support, observe, and record neutrally. Guidance recognises the importance of contact and the carer’s role in enabling it safely.

Types, supervision and who attends

Contact may be supervised, supported, or unsupervised. Babies often need shorter, more frequent sessions timed around feeds and naps. Local procedures emphasise that arrangements should promote welfare and be clearly recorded; your supervising social worker will brief you on venue, supervision, and any specific risks.

Preparing and transporting

Pack nappies, wipes, spare clothes, formula or expressed milk, comforters, and the Red Book if health updates are expected. Leave in good time with an approved car seat and a written plan for feeding/sleeping during contact so everyone stays consistent.

Recording neutrally and respectfully

Use factual, objective language: who was present, what you observed (smiles, eye contact, feeding support), how the baby settled before/afterwards, and any health or safeguarding points. Store notes in line with agency policy and data protection.

Health, development and your professional network

You’re not alone—health visitors, GPs and the Virtual School (as children grow) are part of the team around the child.

Health visitor reviews and the Healthy Child Programme

England mandates five universal health visitor reviews from pregnancy to age two, with additional visits as needed. You’ll be invited to 6–8 week checks, 9–12 month reviews and 2–2½ year reviews, where growth, development and vaccinations are checked and advice is given.

Immunisations and screening

Follow NHS schedules starting at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, then at 12 months and pre-school. Keep immunisation pages updated in the Red Book/eRedbook and bring it to GP and health-visitor appointments.

When to escalate

Speak to your supervising social worker and health visitor if you notice feeding issues, persistent reflux, breathing concerns, delayed milestones, reduced responsiveness, or sudden changes after contact. Health guidance for looked-after children expects timely access to physical and mental health care.

Equipment that genuinely helps (and what to avoid)

You do not need every gadget in the shop. Prioritise safety-critical items and things that support soothing, feeding and sleep.

Essentials checklist

• Cot or Moses basket with firm mattress and fitted sheet; no bumpers/pillows.
• Rear-facing car seat correctly installed.
• Baby monitor (if advised), room thermometer, blackout blind.
• Bottles/steriliser (if bottle-feeding), high chair with 5-point harness when developmentally ready.
• Sling or carrier used according to T.I.C.K.S. safety (tight, in view, close enough to kiss, keep chin off chest, supported back).

What’s claimable and what to log

Allowances usually cover day-to-day items (nappies, wipes, baby toiletries, clothes) and mileage to contacts/appointments. Some agencies/top-ups contribute to cots, car seats and prams; keep receipts and follow your agency’s process. (Check your placement agreement and finance guidance for what’s included.)

Second-hand safety

Second-hand can be fine for many items except mattresses and car seats (unless you can verify full history and crash-free status). If buying used, check for recalls and ensure all parts and instructions are present. Follow NHS/ROSPA safety advice for equipment and home setup.

Record-keeping that helps the child and the plan

Clear records protect you and support the child’s story.

Daily logs

Note sleep/wake times, feeds (amounts and times), nappies, mood, play, visitors and outings. Add photos of milestones only with consent and store securely. Local recording guidance sets out what to keep and how to share updates with your supervising social worker.

Health and development

Keep the Red Book/eRedbook updated after every visit. Bring it to health appointments and contact sessions where health discussions may happen.

Data protection

Use initials or the child’s first name in your personal diary if you keep one; store official notes where your agency requires and never share identifying details on social media. (Check your foster carer handbook and placement agreement.)

Working with birth parents, respectfully

Your relationship with parents sets the tone for the child’s experience.

Building trust

Offer warm greetings, share brief, positive updates (“She loved peek-a-boo today”), and ask if there’s a song or routine they’d like you to continue. Research highlights the value of sustaining children’s relationships and listening to their families.

Boundaries

Agree who brings what (nappies, bottles, clothes), what’s safe to gift (no soft toys for sleep), and how to share photos/updates through the social worker. Keep conversations child-focused and defer disputes to professionals.

Co-parenting mindset

When safe and appropriate, model a cooperative tone—“We’re both helping him sleep better”—to reduce conflict and keep the child’s routine consistent across homes. Practitioner resources emphasise the need for guidance and support when working with birth families.

When things are hard (and what helps)

Every baby has unsettled patches. Keep your supervisor informed early.

Crying and colic

Rule out hunger, temperature, nappy and wind; try motion, white noise, swaddling (if approved and done safely), and contact naps while you’re awake. Avoid letting babies sleep in bouncers, swings or car seats indoors; these are not safe sleep spaces.

Sleep regressions

At growth spurts or after family time, expect more wakes. Keep bedtime calm and predictable, use the same sleep phrase, and return to the cot after feeds. Stick to safer sleep basics even when tired.

Use your support

Ask for extra health-visitor advice, check in with your supervising social worker about respite or extra visits, and log what you try so the team can see patterns and offer targeted help. Statutory guidance expects timely support for looked-after children’s health needs.

Final thoughts

Fostering babies and under-5s is a commitment to tiny, repeated acts of care: safe sleep, warm feeds, consistent contact support, and meticulous recording. With the right routines and equipment—and a close working relationship with parents and professionals—you’ll give a very young child the secure base they need to thrive.

Useful official resources:

• Safer sleep (NHS & Lullaby Trust): sleep on the back, clear/firm cot, same room for first 6 months.
• Child car seat rules: height/weight-based seats; 12 years/135 cm rule.
• Health visitor checks & Red Book/eRedbook: track reviews, immunisations and growth.
• Fostering standards & contact: foster carers’ role in promoting health and sustaining family relationships.