Should foster children have contact with their families of origin?

As a foster carer, you can expect the child or children you are looking after to have occasional contact with their biological family.

Although children and teenagers enter foster care for reasons such as parental ill health, neglect or mistreatment, social workers and the local authority or fostering agency will ensure that the child can still keep contact with their parent(s) and, if they have any, siblings.

Here’s what you need to know from us at Beacon Fostering regarding contact with a child’s family of origin.

Why is keeping in contact with family important?

Having a foster child meet their family of origin ensures that they are up to date with what’s going on in each other’s lives, maintaining relationships and supporting the child’s identity and belonging.

In many cases, such visits are to prepare the child for returning home. The family courts are responsible for deciding when a child should see their families of origin, always acting in the best interests of the child. Unless being in contact with the child would be against their interests and/or wellbeing, foster carers and agencies should ensure contact between children and their biological families.

Factors to consider when planning contact

Discuss contact with your foster child and social worker, and inform them in advance (about 2 weeks or so), so that they can prepare. Try to understand how they might be feeling and reassure them that you will support their decisions and views.

Where does contact time take place?

As well as taking place via phone calls, emails, texts and letters/cards, contact with family can also take place in person. This may be in a café, a park, contact centre or at the foster home.

If you have any questions about foster care in Manchester or other locales of the North West, get in touch today.