Foster parents must possess a wide range of abilities and attributes, including the ability to listen well, have a good sense of humour, be positive, keep their feet on the ground, and be resilient. They must also have the time, dedication, space, and abilities to care for children who have been separated from their family. But, on a day-to-day basis, what are the responsibilities of a foster carer? Here are some examples of what foster carers do to give you a better idea:
Provide support
Foster parents are obliged to do all possible to assist children and young people with their education, health, and social well-being. In all of these locations, they constitute a key source of assistance.
Attend meetings and manage information
Fostering a child entails more than just looking after a youngster. Foster parents attend meetings concerning the children in their care, keep written records, and manage secret and sensitive information in addition to the day-to-day care of the child. They assist in the planning of a child’s future in this way.
Manage behaviour
Being unable to live in your own house or with the people you are accustomed to is a devastating experience for everyone, regardless of age. As a way of coping with the upheaval, foster children and young people may engage in tough or demanding behaviour. A foster carer must recognise the potential causes of such behaviour and, with the help of their fostering provider, devise techniques to assist a kid in managing their emotions and experiences.
Promote contact with families
Children and young people in foster care value contact with their biological families, and foster carers must assist them in maintaining that contact whenever necessary. This is critical, regardless of a foster carer’s personal feelings toward the child’s parents. Direct (face-to-face) or indirect (telephone, email, or letters) contact is possible, and a caregiver will be trained to help manage it.
Manage relationships
Foster parents must be able to communicate successfully not only with children and teenagers, but also with social workers, birth families, and other people involved in the children’s well-being.
Commit time and energy
Every foster carer must devote time and resources to a child or adolescent. Foster carers can only be effective if they have space in their lives to accommodate a child in need, no matter how compassionate or passionate they are about altering children’s lives.
Training
Foster carers will receive training for themselves and their families as they prepare to foster so that they may build on the abilities they already have while also learning new ones. They are expected to continue professional learning and development once they have been approved in order to maintain and grow these skills.
Work in a team
To help children cope with separation, grief, abuse, and neglect, as well as settling in long-term foster care or moving on to adoption, a team approach is required. Social workers, children’s families, schools, health care workers, counsellors, authorised teachers, and the fostering agency are all connected to foster caregivers. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a foster care giver, see our section on becoming a foster carer. You can also contact Nationwide Fostering at any time for help and guidance.