Support to your own Children

Nottinghamshire County Council:

• Recognise and acknowledge the importance of the role played by the sons and daughters of foster carers in fostering;
• Ensure that the views and wellbeing of sons and daughters are taken into consideration;
• Provide recognition and where appropriate, rewards, to sons and daughters;
• Provide support services to sons and daughters.

Foster carers' own children play an important part in the success of fostering, often being the ones who welcome a new foster child into the home and help them to settle in.

Nottinghamshire County Council has devised information booklets for foster carers own children, that will be discussed as part of assessments undertaken and left for them to refer too. These are completed to support foster carers own children be prepared for fostering, alongside discussions with the supervising social worker and you as their parents.

Sharing their home and parents with another child/young person can be hard and foster carers' own children need support to deal with the daily challenges of growing up in a fostering family. Discussions will need to take place about behaviour for everyone, what is acceptable and what is not.

See All About Fostering and What to Expect - A Book for Younger Children who Foster and

All About Fostering and What to Expect - A Book for Children who Foster

All children of foster carers should be seen and spoken too regularly by the families supervising social worker. Their views are also gained as part of annual review meetings and assessments undertaken. Your children, depending on their age, should be part of discussions around the Safer Caring Plan, so that everyone is clear on the boundaries of everyday life to make sure everybody feels safe. The safer caring plan is completed in conjunction with your supervising social worker.

When children don't get the support they need, a placement is more likely to break down, which leads to more instability for fostered children. See: My Placement may be Breaking Down.

The local authority can offer support to foster carers own children via training (if appropriate), or support from the fostering family worker team. We also have sons and daughter’s events annually for children who foster, to celebrate and recognise the importance of the role they play within their fostering household.

You may get disagreements between your own children and fostered children but also fun friendships and memory making for the whole family.

When you consider taking a child, always think about how this child will fit with your family, you can discuss any questions you may have with your Supervising Social Worker who will want to get to know your children so they feel that they can have their say with the fostering service and that they have somewhere else to turn to if needed.

Remember it is important for you to spend time with your own children, think about a family planner where you agree times, dates, and activities you will do with your own children and your fostered child. These can be separately and at times together.

Look out for early signs of problems arising and talk to your child and your fostered child, speak to your Supervising Social Worker during your supervision meetings or before that if it won't wait. You may also look for general advice from other foster carers.

If you feel an issue is getting worse and you need some support, don't leave it, please speak to your supervising social worker and always record any relevant information.