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Over the past several years, our blog has served as a valuable resource for current and prospective foster families. Continuing that time-honored tradition, Camelot Care Centers is ringing in 2022 with our top four tips for new foster parents. This information will not only help start your journey on the right foot, but it will also make the road a little less bumpy along the way. Let’s start the countdown!
#4. Have a support system in place.
If you have resolved to start the fostering process in the New Year, you need to have a support system ready before your first placement. You may have heard the old adage, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This sentiment is especially true when it comes to foster care. While it may be daunting to ask family members, trusted friends, and neighbors for help, including others in the process not only eases some of the burdens that falls on parents, but it can also enrich the lives of everyone involved, including foster children. You can also seek out and join support groups for foster parents, whether locally or online. These communities can be a lifeline for advice and assistance when needed, and they may even offer a wonderful opportunity for friendship and socialization with other foster families.
#3. Be prepared.
Once you learn of your first placement, assess what you have and what you will need before making a shopping list. You never know what your child or teen will arrive with on that first night, so it’s always good to have some pajamas and a toothbrush on hand in order to avoid a rushed trip to the store at bedtime. Make sure you prepare a comfortable bedroom for your child to settle in right away. Depending on the age of your new charge, you may also want a change of sheets and a stuffed animal for comfort, or personal care items like deodorant and maxi pads. If you can gather information on the child beforehand, consider buying a few clothing basics as well, such as jeans, sweatshirts, underwear, and socks.
#2. Foster kindness.
When your new family member finally arrives, help them get acclimated with a tour of the home, and give them time to explore their new surroundings. If you have pets and are unsure of how they or the child will react, it may be best to keep Fido and Fluffy in a separate room during this moment (or outside if the weather allows). You can then focus on an introduction later when things have calmed down. End the tour with a kid-friendly meal or snack. Over the course of the first week, wash and dry all their clothes and help to load everything into their dresser or closet. Take stock of what is missing, and then shop together for the rest. It will likely take some time for the child to adjust, but allowing a reasonable say in clothing choices and decorating their own room may ease the transition, and it will certainly help them feel more at home.
#1. Take care of yourself.
Mr. Rogers once said, “Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero.” Of course, to truly take care of others, you also need to also prioritize your own well-being. This could mean eating healthy, drinking enough water, practicing Yoga, or simply taking a deep breath and a shower. Ask for help when needed. Accept help when offered. Understand that, as with any family, there will be ups and downs. And most of all, enjoy the foster parenting journey. You may not be Captain Marvel or Thor, but when you become a foster parent, you can feel good knowing you are making a world of difference for a child, teen, or siblings in need.
Happy New Year from Camelot Care Centers!
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.
