Books about fostering for foster carers

If you are a foster carer or thinking about fostering, you might be wondering about where you can go to for advice.

Websites like Beacon Fostering are usually the first source that comes to mind; however, books are and continue to be very useful, particularly regarding personal narratives and experiences.

Here are some recommended reads for foster carers and those considering this endeavour.

What Every Parent Needs to Know by Margot Sunderland

A parenting guide to looking after children, covering play, tantrums and developing emotional resilience, written by a child psychotherapist and using research from over 700 social and scientific studies in child development.

Thrown Away Child by Louise Allen

Louise Allen was once in foster care, and later became a foster parent herself. This memoir explores her childhood and turbulent experiences in the system, and her advocacy for an improvement in better child social welfare services. This book is the first in the Thrown Away Children series, which tells true stories of children she has fostered over the years.

Understanding Looked After Children by Suzanne McCall, Lloyd Hamilton and Jeune Guishard-Pine

This book looks at the psychological sides of looking after foster children and the impact of their mental health on their foster families. It guides carers on how to address these issues, with real-life case studies.

The Brightness of Stars: Stories of Adults Who Came Through the British Care System by Lisa Cherry

An anthology of stories from adults who grew up in foster care from the point of entry, exploring themes of love, isolation and belonging.