Being Ready For Anything: Foster Carer Addition
The biggest thing to learn as a new foster carer is that you must be prepared for any situation every second that you have a child in your home. Your role is one of such responsibility that it makes such a huge difference to the life of the children you care for, but there is a lot to learn on the job so to speak. This guide explores what it means to be a great foster carer and how you can prepare your mind for everything that comes your way.
Big Feelings Can Happen at Any Moment
A top thing that established agencies like fosterplus.co.uk will teach you from the very beginning is that children can have big feelings just like adults. These emotions can rise up at any moment, and you must be mentally prepared for them so that when they take you by surprise, you can still respond appropriately and make the child feel safe in what they are experiencing.
Saying Goodbye is Hard
There will come a day when a placement must end and you have to face the impossible goodbye moment. This is one of the hardest bits about being a foster carer, but there is a lot of comfort to be found in the journey you have shared together. Your input will change their life in so many ways, some of which you may never see.
You Will Feel Real Joy
One of the best reported things from carers looking after children is that there is a true joy to be found in what they do. This role gives so much to the community and young people that need it, that it is hard to imagine what the world would look like without this provision. This happiness and sense of fulfilment are unparalleled and will carry you through the hard times as well.
Disclosures and How to Handle Them
When a child makes a disclosure, you may feel initially panicked. The key is to listen, acknowledge, and share with the appropriate team members. A social worker must be made aware of any disclosure that finds its way to your ears, even if the child doesn’t want other people to know about it. You can handle this with compassion and explain that it is your duty of care to them to ensure another adult is made aware so that when they feel ready, they can access the right sort of help. Being told something big or even traumatic can weigh heavily and that is why social workers are ready and able to share the load. They are actually useful bits of information to help the child move forward in the bigger picture.
It may feel impossible to prepare for everything, but foster carers must strive to be ready for any number of things at any given moment. You never know what the day will bring. Sometimes it will be wonderful, and other days you may need a long bath and a catch up with a friend. It is all worth it and an important part of what you do.
