How to Talk to Your Birth Children About Welcoming a Foster Child into the Home

Becoming a foster carer is a huge step in life. It’s a decision that will have positive ripples throughout your life and the child’s.

But when you have birth children in the mix you want to be sure the decision isn’t rushed and that they feel part of the process, thus creating a supportive and welcoming environment for a foster child.

So, if you’re ready to get serious about becoming a foster carer, here are some of the ways you can speak to your birth children and get them on board as well.

Discuss Why Fostering is So Important

The best place to start is with the concept of fostering. Discuss with your kids what a foster carer is, how to become a foster carer, and why foster carers are needed in society.

You can also emphasise the fact that children in care need a safe, comfortable and stable environment. Even if it’s just a short-term foster, it will benefit foster children in huge ways that they will carry with them in life.

Fostering children gives birth children a chance to learn compassion, understanding, patience and how to help someone in need. These are all invaluable life skills that can help them in so many ways.

How Will It Affect Their Daily Life

Kids are always curious to know how something will affect them directly.

They may understand the concept of fostering and be very excited to make a positive difference in a foster child’s life, but what will it mean to their daily life?

One of the stipulations of becoming a foster carer is that you have a spare room.

This means that the foster child won’t be sharing a bedroom with your birth children. So, that’s the first thing that may be new for them. 

If you plan on fostering children for more than just a few days in emergencies, then you’ll also need to create a routine that includes much of the same things as your birth children.

This includes a bedtime routine, morning routine, school, chores and so forth.

This is a way for the foster child to feel part of the family and accepted.

It also helps birth children get a better understanding of how things will work.

Look into Support Offered Through the Fostering Agency

While the fostering agency’s main role is to look after the needs of the children in their care, many also offer a network of tools, resources, support and more to foster carers and their families – including birth children.

Fostering agencies understand that this is a journey that not just the foster carers embark on, but also the birth children, and that there can be questions that pop up.

You don’t have to feel as though you’re on your own, as there is likely a wealth of support at your fingertips whenever needed.

If you’ve decided to foster a child, there’s no doubt you’re excited to get the process moving, but when you have birth children in the home, you want to be sure you go about things in a way that is sensitive and ensures everyone feels part of the journey.