What To Expect When Fostering A Child With Learning Disabilities And Developmental Challenges

Opening your home and heart to foster children means opening to the possibility that your foster child may have a learning disability or developmental challenge. Many foster children arrive with at least some kind of struggle. While learning your foster child’s special needs may cause you to pause, you shouldn’t fret. Read on to learn what you can do when expecting a foster child with a learning disability or developmental challenge.

Gather All The Information

The first step in helping your foster child with a learning disability or any developmental challenges is to learn everything you can about their case first. Ask your caseworker as many questions as you can to gather background knowledge and how these issues affect their everyday lives. Understanding their history can help you know what to expect in the future, and learn what helps your foster child cope in certain situations.

Do Your Research

Once you have information on the types of delays or challenges your foster child experiences, it’s time to hit the books. Research their specific conditions online or checkout books at the library to gain a stronger understanding of where they are coming from. If your child has sensory issues, you may want to learn different coping mechanisms for when they suffer from a trigger. This may include dimming the lights, giving them a weighted blanket, or making the room quiet.

Adjust Your Expectations

If your foster child is delayed they may not “act their age.” This means that they may fail to meet the milestones that a child normally hits at that age. This may be confusing if you have raised other children before. Rather then expect your developmentally delayed 4-year-old foster child to speak in full sentences, see if you can help them learn new words. Your foster child will still need guidance growing; they will simply move at a different pace than their peers.

Plan For Arrival Day

While you may not get much advance notice, plan your home ahead of time for the arrival of your foster child. Understand that a child with developmental delays will need a tour of the home to feel comfortable in their new space. Plan for them to meet each family member, and give them specific instructions as to how to interact with any pets in the home.

On Arrival Day

Now that the big first day is here, remember to practice patience and kindness with your new foster child. They may be scared and overwhelmed. Don’t force the new experience on them; instead, slowly introduce them to their new surroundings. Speak lovingly as you explain what they can and cannot touch in your home. Show them their room, and talk about fun things they can do in that space, such as draw, watch a movie, or read a book.

While fostering a child with learning disabilities and developmental challenges isn’t always easy, there are plenty of resources out there to help make the process as smooth as possible. Stay in touch with your caseworker, teachers, and any therapists that the child may see. Educate yourself on your child’s background. Above all, show love and gratitude as your foster child transitions to their new life in your home.

Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency licensed by the State of Illinois, a member of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), and is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).