What does a Foster Parent do?

As a Foster Parent, you’ll be looking after another person’s child in your own home. Like any child or young person they need stability, security and a chance to develop and thrive. A Foster Parent will have a huge impact on a child’s lives, helping them to improve their self-esteem, heal & recover and to go on to have a stronger, happier future.

 The role of a Foster Parent is to:  

• Provide Support - Foster Parents are expected to do all they can to support children and young people in their education, look after their health and promote their social wellbeing. 

• Attend Meetings and Manage Information – Along with day-to-day care of a child, Foster Parents attend meetings about the children in their care, keep written records, and manage information that is confidential and sensitive. There are also monthly meetings with other Foster Parents.

• Manage Behaviour - Fostered children and young people can display different behaviours as a way of coping with their experiences. A Foster Parent needs to recognise the possible causes of certain behaviour, and with support from our qualified Psychotherapists help them to recover from the experienced trauma that may be causing that 'survival' behaviour. 

• Manage Relationships - Foster Parents must be able to communicate effectively, not only with children and young people but with a network of people who are involved with the wellbeing of the children 

• Attend Training - Foster Parents will develop skills and knowledge so they feel secure and confident in their work with continuous training.