Who are the children that need foster care?
Every child is unique. There are no two children in foster care who look the same, feel the same, behave in the same way, or have the same talents and abilities. One of the joys of fostering is that every child presents a new challenge, even for the most experienced carers, and every child has the capacity to grow and to change and to reach their potential, and the rewards for carers of seeing children and young people progress whilst in their care are immense. The challenges are immense too and the impact on family life are not to be underestimated. However carers with FCA are well supported by a team of staff who will all work together with you to help you to face the challenge.
To give you an idea of some of the children and young people we foster here are a few case examples (not real people) to get you thinking. All of them have different needs, and therefore will require different approaches and responses. Carers need to be able to understand the impact of children’s life experiences on their development in order to know how best to help, and this understanding will come through a range of sources, backed up by carer training and support.
The local authority or trust will provide information initially, based on what they know of the child and their background, parents and others who know the child may give you more detail, the child’s behaviour will tell you a lot, and what the child says will also contribute to your understanding.
We have added a few quotes from children and young people in foster care (not the same children as in the case examples) to illustrate to you how well children can express their feelings given half a chance.
If you feel that you could help young people such as these within your own home, supporting them in dealing with all that life has thrown at them and developing their abilities and strengths to be positive about themselves and their futures, we would be pleased to hear from you.
