Perhaps the most frequently asked question we get is “what are a Foster carer’s responsibilities?” Well the simple answer is that it is to look after a child or young person. But if someone has never considered fostering before, this is hardly helpful as the question has to be asked, “What do we mean by looking after?” Everyone will have a different idea of this. But when fostering children and young people, there has to be a framework to define what is meant by looking after. Without this, there can only exist a set of vague assumptions. So we will set out what we mean by the term looking after. This will show just how many elements feed into foster care: all the things that foster carer’s have to be aware of. Apart from aiming to impart valuable information – and perhaps help someone decide if fostering is for them – our intention is to take the opportunity to support the work of the leading charity, The Fostering Network, which is seeking to elevate the status of foster carers and professionalise the work they do. This is important, for later this year, the national fostering stocktake will be reporting its findings. This is a landmark exercise being conducted against a backdrop of mounting difficulties in the recruitment of new foster carers. The leading charity has stressed in its submission to the stocktake that the status of carers has to be addressed and that fostering should be seen as a profession.

Thinking about all those elements that are required to look after a child properly, we have listed them below. Because of the rate of change, both societal and technological, it is likely list will continue to grow. It should function as a helpful guide – as well as enabling the reader to consider fully what foster care is about. Again, it is not exhaustive and many of the following points lead to further consideration or potential action.

What foster carers have to consider regarding a child’s nurturing and emotional needs

Always aim to provide fair and equal treatment for all children in your home.

Take a keen pride in how the foster child’s appearance and how they present to others.

Always try to respect the confidentiality of a foster child.

Have the capacity to express affection often: be confident about demonstrating affection in age appropriate ways.

Guard against speaking negatively about a child’s family or personal history. Always listen and empathize, but avoid judging.

Understand and always take into account a foster child’s feelings: look to say positive things about the child to other people.

Always attempt to listen in a non-judgmental way to child’s thoughts and feelings.

Attempt to establish a supportive relationship with child’s biological family if deemed in the foster child’s interests.

Be prepared to transport the child to all appointments, assessments and medical management appointments.

Always provide demonstrably fair and equal treatment for all the children in your home.

Assist a foster child to advance through the grieving and adjustment process that goes with their being removed from their family home.

Try to provide plenty of recreational activities so a child can be fit and healthy as this helps with issues of self esteem.

Be willing to always include the foster child in all your family activities.

Taking care of a foster child’s physical needs

Always meet the foster child’s basic needs for food, clothing, warmth and shelter.

Provide proper supervision on a 24-hour a day basis. (If you cannot be present to supervise, it you must ensure the foster child is under the supervision of an approved adult.)

Ensure you provide adequate space for the child, as well their own room with a bed and plenty of storage for their belongings.

Make regular checks to see that the child’s clothes are clean and in a good state of repair. They should be provided with warm clothing in winter.

Offer opportunities for the foster child to have regular exercise: make sure they are not becoming overweight through poor diet and a lack of proper exercise.

Always see that a foster child has regular and nourishing meals.

See that the foster child’s personal care, health and hygiene needs are always met.

Always check that the child is clean and well-groomed: instruct on the importance of personal hygiene – such as washing dental care.

Be prepared to transport the foster child to medical and dental appointments. Keep a check on their physical well being.

Looking after a foster child’s educational needs

With a young child, you have to enrol them in school.

Be interested and monitor the foster child’s educational progress.

Make sure that the child attends school every day.

Make available a quiet place where the foster child can do their homework undisturbed.

Always be willing to communicate with teachers to ensure your foster child is participating, cooperating and achieving at school.

Provide necessary equipment or funding to enable participation in team activities, or outings and school trips.

Be prepared and willing to attend any school meetings – such as open and parent’s evenings – as required.

Be in a position to help the child engage in after school activities, sports, clubs etc.

Encouraging a child to develop self-discipline

Be on hand to provide consistent discipline and guidance that is age appropriate: it should never involve corporal punishment.

Try and encourage effective anger management skills. Again, demonstrate such skills if ether is conflict.

Teach the child how to assess and respond to challenging situations in an age appropriate way.

Make use of effective praise techniques to recognise and encourage positive behaviour.

Encourage the  child in their social interaction skills.

Teach concentration and problem-solving skills.

Where age appropriate, encourage the development of negotiation skills to the child: demonstrate such skills at all times of conflict between you and the foster child.

Encourage the child to develop effective time management skills and how to start being responsible for their own lives – this should always be age appropriate.

Meeting a child’s recreational needs

Always try to encourage the foster child’s involvement in social and recreational activities such as sports: this promotes the development of social skills.

Be willing to provide transport to social or sporting events.

Always seek to encourage the child to develop hobbies and personal interests.

Recognise and celebrate their achievements.

A cautionary note: be aware of the need for a foster child to have a good diet

It is a sad fact that many of the children coming into the care system will have had many some very negative experiences. The hardships experienced can indeed be severe: something that can be particularly damaging, as well as have long term risks concerns food. It can be  common for a foster child who has been neglected to have picked up bad eating habits. He or she may refuse food, or perhaps overeat. This can often happen when a child is unused to the discipline of regular mealtimes, this can create a survival mentality towards food. it arises as the foster child does not necessarily trust food will be available the next time they are hungry.

One of the most key jobs that a carer can do is to provide a healthy diet. Apart from providing nutrition, a regular pattern for the creation of sound eating habits should be encouraged. This can bring benefits that last a lifetime: especially when it is thought that one in three children are currently leaving primary school overweight or obese. This then places them at significantly greater risk of going on to develop cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It’s true that poor diet is the UK’s biggest premature killer – ahead of drinking and smoking. The societal costs are huge and growing: the consequences of poor diet across the nation now costs the National Health Service approximately £6bn annually.

Our special Rainbow Rewards – always worth considering if you want to foster

We offer support and guidance to all our approved foster carers twenty four hours a day  – all year round. And to show how much we value their dedication we are paying a £500 bonus if a carer can provide us with a referral. The bonus will be paid direct to you, when the applicant  has been approved and has received their first foster care placement from us. If you already an approved foster carer then you might consider transferring to Rainbow Fostering. As a fostering agency that has been established eighteen years, we have all the experience necessary to make the process a smooth and efficient one. And transferring across to Rainbow could also mean you qualify for a generous bonus. Call our foster recruitment advisors on 020 8427 3355 to discover more about the opportunities that Rainbow can offer you. It’s always worth remembering that a chat with one of our advisors could transform your life – as well as the life and prospects of a vulnerable child or young person. Over 9,000 new foster families needed in the UK. If you care…foster care!

Our good news at the end of this weeks rainbow…yet more long hot summer birthdays to mark for our carers and foster children. ‘Birthday Greetings’ from everyone in the team at Rainbow Fostering!

Rainbow fostering: this week in the news – make sure you read all about it!

“An innovative project announced will make a difference to foster children in Wales.”

July 24th, 2017

The leading charity, The Fostering Network, has recently announced the launch of the new ‘Fostering Wellbeing’ programme. It combines the principles of social pedagogy with activities focused around education. These are learning principles taken from the charity’s successful ‘Head, Heart, Hands’ and London Fostering Achievement programmes.

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