The first week in a foster home – what you need to know

Moving into a new home and a new setting can be a challenging time for children in foster care, whether it is their first foster home or not.

Making sure they are welcome is important in ensuring they feel safe. If you’re reading this, you might be wondering what you can do to ease their feelings of uncertainty. Here are some tips from us at Beacon Fostering.

Arrival

Depending on the circumstances prior to their arrival, your foster child may arrive with some possessions or only the clothes on their backs.

Regardless, ensure you have your spare room set up, with freshly washed night clothes, a prepared bed and empty drawers and closets. This will help them to make their room their own. You could also wash their existing clothes, though make a note of which clothes they brought with them and the new ones you have for them.

Getting to know your foster child

In the first week that your foster child is in their new home, ask them what foods they like and dislike, and what hobbies and activities they like to do. This will ensure that you build connections with one another, creating a foundation of trust regardless of how long they stay with you.

Paperwork

Once your foster child arrives, you will need to ensure that any important papers associated with them are filed and organised in a folder or binder of some sort. This can include records of medical appointments, school letters concerning your child and notes of anything they’ve said. This is useful for communicating with your social worker on what the child needs.