Although fostering can be one of the most beautiful and gracious things you can do, it can also be extremely challenging. Here at We Buy Any House, we have compiled out top tips on how to welcome a foster child into your home.
Find Out What You Need to Know:
Before your foster child comes to your home, it’s a good idea to speak to your foster child’s social worker in order to get the correct information before your foster place starts. Although the information you will have access to is incredibly confidential, context and background knowledge on your child is crucial- as this may affect their behaviour and who they are as a person. Additionally, it’s important to keep your family safe from any potential upsetting or dangerous situations.
Additionally, by finding out the content behind your foster child, a risk assessment can be done by the social worker ahead of time.
Bring Some of Their Favourite Belongings:
This is especially important if your foster child is coming to you with no belongings or any personal items. After speaking to the social worker, you may want to see if there are any ways to help by getting them their favourite things. It’s also important to get them a school uniform and PE kit so that if they are starting school soon that they don’t feel any different to other children in their class.
Be Aware of Body Language, Tone of Voice and Language Used:
Regardless of the age of the child, more often than not children who come from the care system have faced distressing or upsetting situations. Therefore, it’s a good idea to ensure that you use a reassuring tone of voice around them, and are cautious of the type of body language you use around them. As we mentioned before, its important to speak to the social worker beforehand to see if there are any things you can do to avoid triggers and find what works best for you.
Show the Child Around:
Don’t just assume that your child knows what exactly is going to happen and the layout of your home. It’s important that your foster child has a space that they can call their own, somewhere where they can have a time out to do things such as study and sleep. Therefore, give them a guided tour of the house, and make it explicitly clear which areas of the house can be used by them. Also, it’s good to point out the nearest toilet as this can be useful if they feel upset or ill during the night and would like a bit of privacy.
Introduce Yourself with the Name You Want to Use Goingforward:
Most of the time, first names work perfectly. However, if the child is old enough, then perhaps it’s a good idea to ask the child what they would prefer to be called and what they would prefer to call you.
This article was written by a quick house sale company We Buy Any House. If you’re wondering “how can I sell my house fast?” or “how can I get someone to buy my house?”, head to the We Buy Any House website for more information relating to all property related enquiries.
