what to do when you foster children

Fostering children might sound like your dream role. For those who like children and are willing to open their homes to those in need, it might just be. You should know what’s involved before taking on such a high responsibility, though. It’s not just signing papers and then opening your door to your perfect child match! There is a lot required from both you and the social workers to make it work. To learn more, here is what you do when you foster children. 

Meetings with Social Workers 

Throughout your time as a foster parent, you will have lots of meetings with social workers. This is an important part of the process, as it ensures you can seek the extra help you may need while the social worker can make sure that you and your foster child are getting on well. You will likely have more meetings before the actual fostering, where you will be assessed. The ultimate goal of foster care social workers is to match children in care to the best foster family possible – these meetings help with that. If you are interested in applying to be a foster carer, contact a fostering agency in Hull to begin the process. 

Set Up a Bedroom 

In order to foster a child, you must have a spare bedroom for them to stay in – one that is a reasonable size. Before the foster child arrives, you should set it up to accommodate a child. Include a bed, a wardrobe, and storage for their belongings at a minimum. It’s better to avoid decorating too heavily, as you don’t want to paint the room bright pink only to find your foster kid hates that color. 

Look After the Child

Most importantly, you provide a safe, comfortable space with a loving family for the child. Whether you foster short-term or long-term, you need to do everything you can to look after the child to the best of your ability. That includes: 

• Providing meals. A big part of looking after a child is providing meals. If you’ve never had a child before, you should look into the best meals for kids. Batch cooking is an excellent practice to get into, too, as it means you’ll have healthy meals available even when everyone is busy.  

• Going on trips out. Looking after kids must involve some family fun! Trips out are perfect for foster children, as they will get to make fun memories with a foster family that cares. You don’t have to splash out on a fancy holiday abroad every year – a trip to the zoo, a museum, or a theme park is just as exciting. 

• Discipline. Being a good parent isn’t just about the fun or positive moments. You must be able to discipline your foster kid responsibly. Make sure that they do their chores, finish their school work, and follow the rules that you lay out. That way, they have a better chance of growing into a happy and responsible adult. 

• Emotional Care. Many foster kids have been through significant emotional hurt. As a foster parent, you must be able to provide emotional care and support. Lending them a listening ear when they are talking about their concerns and always making sure you are there for them when they are feeling low, even if that means giving them a hug and then leaving them in peace. 

Being a foster parent requires a great deal of energy and care. It’s not just about signing papers and having a spare room – it’s about helping raise a child in a comfortable and supportive environment.

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This post was written with the Life A to Steph audience in mind