” I want to foster but I am worried that…..”
When you enquire about fostering that is the time you get to ask all the many questions you have! Fostering is reward but big life step to take, it’s normal to have worries and concerns. We’ve put together a few of the common concerns we get asked about to help put your mind at ease.
” I’m worried I will be judged if the child misbehaves at a school or agency meeting.”
There will be absolutely no judgement on you for the behaviour of the child/ young person you are caring for. You might be looking after a child who has additional needs or a young person who is struggling with their mental health. We will be working with you in a non-judgmental way that makes you feel safe and respected. On top of that the training we provide covers topics such as attachment theory, how to be trauma informed and mentalization. At no point do we stop checking in with you or offering you more training to support you at every stage of your fostering journey.
“I’m worried that if I care for teenagers I might get hit or kicked if they lash out”
Not all teenagers are aggressive. The training we will provide will help your learn de-escalation techniques and reflection skills.
Their reluctance to be cared for comes from early experiences of trauma and their need to stay as safe as possible.
“I’m terrible at paperwork, I just want to care for children.”
Paper work! Never the most enjoyable task for anybody and not the reason why people decide to foster! We know! Unfortunately one comes with the other. We understand that paperwork isn’t everyone’s strength. Yet it plays a key part in the fostering process, it helps keep everyone involved safe and supported. We’ve put a lot of really good systems in place to help, systems that support you and make the whole process a lot smoother. It’s a very important part of your role.
“I’m worried the child won’t like me”
We can’t like everyone as soon as we meet them. Worrying about whether the children will like you is normal, lots of foster parents feel this way, even those that have been doing it for years. Children just like adults need time to get to know each other and grow trust. It takes time and it isn’t about being popular straight away. It’s about caring for them and giving them time.
It’s important to remember that fostering isn’t a popularity contest. It’s about providing love, appropriate boundaries and stability to a child that really needs it.
It’s important to remember that fostering isn’t a popularity contest. It’s about providing love, appropriate boundaries and stability to a child that really needs it.
The best way to get answers to your questions or queries about fostering is to simply have a chat with us! Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of an investment in time from both you and our agency to help put your mind at ease. Fostering is reward, fulfilling but also can be tough. That’s why we’ve put together together training with a therapeutic base and created a care package for foster parents that provides all they need to succeed in this role. You can find more FAQ’s here.