Fostering is a fantastic thing to do, both for the children that you welcome into your family and for the other members of your household. But if you have biological children living at home, welcoming foster children can be confusing, overwhelming, and upsetting for them. Ultimately, foster siblings will help your children to become caring, compassionate, and responsible people, and teach them skills that will help them in their future lives. In the shorter term, a foster sibling can become a great friend, and someone for them to have fun and adventures with. Here are some of the ways that you can prepare your children to welcome a foster sibling.
Involve them In the Application Process
It’s important that your children are involved from the very beginning of your fostering journey. Spend time learning about fostering together at orangegrovefostercare.co.uk, and make sure they support and understand your decision before you even apply. Then, involve them in every aspect of your application, explaining what is going on, and making sure they understand.
Let Them Help Prepare a Bedroom
Who knows what a child wants in their bedroom better than another child? Let your children help to decide what to put in their foster sibling’s room and let them get stuck in and help with decorating as much as they are able. It can also help to encourage them to put some of their own old toys, or things like teddy bears they no longer play with, into the room, and praise them for sharing.
Make Some Fun Plans
Having fun plans is a great way to help your children to feel involved and enthusiastic. Ask for their help planning activities. Ask what their favourite things to do are, what they’d like to show their foster sibling, and if there are any places that they’ve always wanted to go. Don’t feel like you have to book everything, or commit to their more expensive or unrealistic ideas, but planning a few things together will get them excited about the future.
Have Open Conversations
It’s essential that you speak to your children along the way. Make sure you have honest conversations with them before you apply, when you are approved, and as you wait for a placement. When you know more, tell them as much as you can about their new foster sibling, and try to keep the conversation open.
Encourage Questions
These open and honest conversations also give you a chance to encourage questions. Answer their questions honestly and they won’t worry about anything in silence. If you don’t know the answer to a question, spend some time finding out together, instead of brushing them off.
Schedule Time for Them
Life with a new foster child can become hectic. Make sure you always have time for your biological children so that they never feel left out. Even a quick bedtime story every night gives them an opportunity to talk to you.
Prepare Them for Goodbyes
One of the hardest parts of fostering is saying goodbye. Even after a short-term placement, saying goodbye to a child that you’ve got to know is tough. Make sure your children know that they will have to say goodbye to their siblings and that they understand why. Try to be positive about children going back to their birth families and use positive words when you speak to your children.
Fostering is a brilliant thing, with benefits for every member of your household. But it can be hard for biological children, and it’s important that you consider their feelings at every stage of your fostering journey.
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