Can I take my foster child on holiday?

If you are thinking of fostering, you might be wondering if you can take your foster children on holidays – especially if it’s outside of the country.

At Beacon Fostering, we seek to dispel myths around fostering and reassure our community of any concerns they may have regarding what they can and cannot do. Read on to find out more.

Rules and advice

Before you start planning your trip, the first thing you need to do is inform social workers of your plans, such as the location and the duration of the excursion. They will inform you of any holiday allowances from your fostering agency, and will help you to obtain a passport for your child if required.

It also helps to get a letter from your agency to prove that you’re the foster parent of the child, or children, to show travel authorities if necessary.

The needs of the child or children are also important. Ask them how they are feeling about the trip, and help them to prepare and gather everything they will need for the excursion. You can get them involved in the planning stage by asking what activities they’d like to do at the destination, and if there are any attractions they’re keen on visiting.

Benefits of holidays for foster children

Going on excursions brings many benefits for children in foster care. As well as giving them experiences of new locations, it can also give them a sense of normalcy and being part of a loving family, and the opportunity to have fun and relax. Going abroad provides the opportunity to learn new languages and different cultures, too.