Foster Parenting
- What is foster parenting?
- What does foster parenting involve?
- What are the benefits of foster parenting?
What Is Foster Parenting?
Foster parenting is the process of becoming a certified guardian of a young, vulnerable child in foster care who is unable to live with their birth family. Children who need to be fostered have often seen and had to deal with some really tough stuff, including neglect, sexual, emotional, or physical abuse. Some may even have had to leave their parents against their will; therefore, it’s essential to have the patience and empathy required to look after them correctly. They may not welcome you with open arms, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t! Foster parenting and building a relationship with the children, young people or even mothers and babies in your care takes time, so appropriate boundaries, love and stability are vital!
What Does Foster Parenting Involve?
Foster parenting involves creating a safe, loving and stable home for the child or young person in your care. We can offer you loads of training and support, including therapeutic training, to help both you and the child in your care adjust to this new chapter of your lives.
There are many types of foster parenting, and the differences between them will impact what foster parenting involves. For example, there are long-term and short-term placements, as well as specialist placements, which may require higher levels of training or experience, as well as short break care and sibling placements. Like how all children are different, all experiences of foster parenting are different. But the main thing foster parenting will involve is learning and growing with the child or young person in your care, providing them with a safe and happy home where they can grow and develop into a young adult!
What Are The Benefits Of Foster Parenting?
The most significant benefit of foster parenting is changing the life of a child or young person who has had an unsteady start in life. Experienced foster parents have said that there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the children in their care develop and grow, creating and achieving their ambitions, and smiling whilst doing it! By providing a vulnerable child or young person with a chance at a safe, happy and loving home, you are transforming their life and opening so many doors for them that otherwise would have been shut.
Another important benefit of foster parenting is also the way it impacts your life and helps you to build your knowledge and grow personally. Foster parenting is often considered to be professional parenting, as it comes with a set of obligations, requirements and demands. Becoming a foster parent will revolutionise the way you understand both yourself and how children and young people act, behave and think.
At Changing Futures Fostering, we’re all about providing our foster parents with the support they need to really make a difference in a vulnerable child’s life. If you’re interested in learning more about foster parenting, 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!