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Fostering a child is no doubt one of the most rewarding things you can do for everyone involved. If it’s something you’ve thought about, then you may have begun thinking about whether it’s really time for you and if you’re ready. We thought we’d aim to help you evaluate this a little further. Here are our 8 signs that you may be ready to become a foster parent!
1. You’re happy to open your home and life to a whole host of people
The fostering process opens up your home to a host of different people, from of course the child you are looking after, to social workers, foster care agents from organisations like Capstone Foster Care and potentially the child’s birth family. You will need to keep an open mind and level of honesty with each of these people to help put the child’s needs and wants first.
2. You have flexibility and are able to adapt quickly
You will need to free up your schedule for things like meetings and training, and will possibly need to be able to drop everything to accommodate the needs of the child or the foster agency.
3. You have a strong support system
There’s nothing better than having a good group of friends or close family members to vent to when you need it, as there will be lows as well as highs in a process like this. You could even look into foster carer networks to chat to likeminded individuals going through similar things to you.
4. You feel strong enough to deal with a host of emotions
As mentioned above, it’s not always going to be easy, and it’s not always going to go the way you want it to on a journey like fostering. You will need to be strong mentally and have a strong will to keep going during lower times.
5. You can listen and act without judgement
You may have strong opinions on the child’s biological family, for example, but it’s imperative that you keep these to yourself and work to support the child and keep them happy. At the end of the day, their birth family is where they’ve come from, and you could end up offending them.
6. You have sufficient space in your home
It’s generally regarded by most foster agencies that you have a spare bedroom for your child so that they have their own private space. It’s essential this a room in which they feel safe and secure, too.
7. You are financially stable
Although you will be given some money to cover the costs of the basics the child will require, you’re likely to end up spending much more on them than this will allow. Therefore it’s important you are financially stable to support another family member.
8. You want to make a difference to a young life!
Only you will know in your heart whether it’s right for you at this time or not, and possibly the main consideration is, is whether you are dedicated and ready to make such a huge difference and impact on a young person’s life!
