Support to your own Children

Foster carers’ own children play an important part in the success of fostering, often being key people who welcome a new foster child into the home and help them to settle in.

But sharing their home and parents with another child/young person can be hard and foster carers' own children need support to deal with the daily challenges of growing up in a fostering family. Discussions will need to take place about household expectations and routines for everyone, what is acceptable and what is not.

Your children, depending on their age, should be part of developing the Safer Caring Plan so that everyone is clear on the boundaries of everyday life to make sure everybody feels safe. See Developing a Safer Caring Plan.

When children don’t get the support they need, a placement is more likely to break down, which leads to more instability for fostered children. See My Placement may be Breaking Down.

You may get disagreements between your own children and fostered children but also fun friendships and memory making for the whole family.

When you consider taking a child, think about how this child will fit with your household members y and lifestyle, you can discuss any questions you may have with your Supervising Social Worker. The supervising social worker  will want to get to know your children so they can offer them re-assurance and support.

Remember it is important for you to continue to spend individual time with your own children. Think about a family planner to identify times, dates and activities you will do with each individual child within the home. Whilst also planning time and activities you will spend together.

The service regularly runs fun events and activities which are fully inclusive and both birth and fostered children are welcome to attend with you.

The service also runs a fun birth children’s support group, which is activity based and offers them the opportunity for them to meet other children from fostering families.

Look out for early signs of difficulties arising and talk to your child and your fostered child, speak to your Supervising Social Worker during your supervision meetings or before that if it won’t wait. You may also look for general advice from other foster carers.

If you feel an issue is getting worse and you need some support, don’t leave it and always record any relevant information.