Everything You Need To Know!
- What are the roles and responsibilities of a foster parent?
- What skills and experience are required to foster?
- How can Changing Futures help prepare you for fostering?
What Are The Roles and Responsibilities Of A Foster Parent?
The most important role and responsibility of a foster parent is the day-to-day care of the child or young person they’re looking after. This includes providing the necessities, namely food, water, clothes, toiletries, a roof over their head, as well as anything else they may need. No matter the length or type of the placement, this responsibility will never change.
Other roles and responsibilities include managing their education and supporting their needs, whether they may be health, social or educational. Foster parents may also have to deal with challenging behaviour and put the correct support network in place to manage these issues. Therefore, working with other professionals, such as educational specialists and therapists, may also be required to ensure the child is fully supported.
Foster parents will also usually attend regular training to continue to develop their skills and ensure the child or young person is receiving the best care possible! They will also be expected to advocate for the child, keeping records, attending meetings and working with our fostering agency and social workers to ensure safe growth and development. It is also often important for children and young people to maintain contact with their biological family through regular, safe, and supervised meetings. Foster parents play a crucial role in making these meetings happen and offering support and a friendly face throughout.
What Skills and Experience Are Required To Foster?
Fostering can often be overcomplicated, with prospective foster parents believing there is a strict checklist of all of the skills, training courses and experience you need to foster. We’re here to tell you that that is really just a myth! On a basic level, to be a foster parent, you need the care, compassion and kindness required to provide a safe, loving and fun home. As long as you meet the safety and social requirements and have a spare bedroom, that’s really all it takes to be a good foster parent! When it comes to training and experience, Changing Futures offers a Therapeutic “Changing Futures through Fostering” programme to equip you with everything else you may need! This programme will provide you with the additional problem-solving, emotional management, and techniques required to deal with more challenging situations.
How Can Changing Futures Help Prepare You For Fostering?
We understand the information above can seem daunting, especially when considering everything that is required of you as a foster parent, but we don’t want you to worry! Changing Futures will be with you every step of the way, providing around-the-clock support and advice to ensure you know exactly what you’re doing and what is expected of you. No question or query is unanswerable, and our team is always available to look after you and the children in your care!
At Changing Futures Fostering, we’re all about providing our foster parents with the information and support they need to really make a difference in a vulnerable child’s life. If you need any more information about foster care roles and responsibilities or if you have any other questions or queries, please click here to contact us. Or, please feel free to email us at admin@changingfuturesne.co.uk or give us a call on 01429 363 127 to speak to our brilliant fostering team!