Foster children often have had to deal with unique experiences, and no two foster children are the same. Your goal as a foster parent should be first to make them feel safe, but also to show them how to express their emotions and constructively express them.
This can be a challenge for you as a parent, but if you’re willing to work with them at their pace, you might be surprised at how much they grow emotionally from the time you welcome them to the time they leave your home. Let’s take a look at how you can raise emotionally healthy foster children.
Start with the Right Agency
The first thing you have to do is make sure that you pick an agency that will respect your wishes and assign children you’ll be equipped to deal with.
A good agency will respect where you are as a foster parent and only give you cases you can handle.
They will also make sure to provide the right level of financial support for any of the child’s needs. If you’re looking for a good agency and would like to learn more about the financial details, you can check out thefca.co.uk.
Allow them to Fully Integrate into the Family
You have to give foster children the same level of attention and caring as any of your other children. You should also encourage your biological children to treat foster children like their siblings as much as they can.
This can be done by allowing them to socialise and play alone after the child has started getting acquainted with the family.
Going to a family event early where the children will be able to socialise with each other and other kids could also allow them to form bonds.
Deal with Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is something a lot of foster children deal with, and you have to be equipped to help them cope. The first thing you have to do is let them know that you’re not responsible for them being separated from their parents. You also have to acknowledge their feelings and understand that they might have conflicting emotions.
If the child has any questions, try to answer them as clearly and truthfully as possible. Also, make sure to never say anything negative about their biological parents and let them know well in advance when or if they’re going to get visits.
It is very important to have set routines and let the foster children know what the rules of the house are as soon as possible. Children, especially foster children, are reassured by structure even if they might complain about certain rules.
Also, show the child that you are there for them through your actions, not words. This means taking time out of your schedule for planning activities with them like playing sports, going on one-on-one trips, or playing games at home.
Raising foster children is a great thing to do, and if you do it right, the children you help will remember you their whole lives for it. So, try to give them the best environment for them to grow emotionally and become better at expressing themselves.
