The Impact of Fostering
Everything you need to know about the positive impacts fostering can have on you and your family.
Every child is different, and so is the journey of each foster carer. There are many reasons why children come into care and each will have their own life story. To meet the individual needs of a child or youth in foster care, we offer extensive support and training for carers.
Fostering is a highly rewarding journey, but it will not always be an easy one. It is a different experience from raising your own children, and so it’s important that you know what’s expected. Sometimes a child or youth may leave your care before you feel ready to say goodbye. They may return to their family, kin or be adopted. When they do, we’ll give you all the support you need to help them – as well as you and your family – to move on.
However long a child is in your care, you have an opportunity to make a positive impact on their life. That is what makes fostering so rewarding – it really does change lives.
How Will Fostering Affect My Family?
Fostering involves the whole family. Many of our carers have children of their own, and they can play an important role in the success of any fostering placement – after all, fostering is all about family. It is crucial that your own children’s experience of fostering is a happy and positive one. Working together, we offer them the support and reassurance they need by celebrating their achievements, and by including them in the many events and activities, we organize.
Supporting Children & Youth Who Foster
As part of the application and assessment process, we will arrange for any children or youth in the family to meet with one of our assessors so they can discuss their thoughts and feelings.
As well as support and guidance for children and youth who foster, Key Assets will provide:
- Easy access to the family’s foster support worker
- Contact with other young people in the area who are also part of a fostering family.
- When appropriate and relevant, we provide opportunities for birth children over the age of 18 to attend training.
- Paid respite provision to all our foster families. Like we said – fostering is rewarding, but it is not always an easy road. Adjusting to foster care can take time for both the child in care and the foster carer. To give you and the children or youth in your care the best chance of success, we allow for short, mutually agreed upon breaks that will give room for everyone to adjust and adapt to the situation. Together, we will work to make your fostering journey as rewarding and fulfilling as possible.
