Foster carers, or anyone considering fostering, might be interested to know that this week is World ‘Autism Acceptance Week’. This makes for good timing as we start a blog series devoted to promoting an understanding of autism. The responsibilities of foster carers and the knowledge and skills they need to care for youngsters with autism, is also referenced.  Foster an understanding of Autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurological and developmental disorder. It affects the way people interact with the world and other people. It also impacts the way those with this spec ..read more

Foster carers who might be contemplating specialising in Parent and Child placements can benefit from an understanding of why a parent and baby come into foster care. Each case will be different, but there are some common reasons that are characteristic of Parent and Child placements. For some, what is mostly required by a parent is guidance and advice connected to the care of their infant. This can cover areas that are seemingly straightforward but need to be established as ongoing routines. These include. How to change a baby’s nappy; Feeding a baby; Assisting a baby to sleep; Soothing a cr ..read more

Foster carers working in this area use their skills and training to help a vulnerable parent gain the knowledge and confidence needed to parent their child. In the past, these placements were known as ‘mother and baby placements’. As the carer may be supporting a mother or father, or occasionally both, the name has been changed to ‘Parent and Child’. Before being placed with a foster carer, they will have in common an inability to care for their baby. There are a number of reasons why this might be the case. Someone with a learning disability can find it difficult to learn parenting skills. Be ..read more

Foster carers will hopefully benefit from this new blog series for 2023. Timed to coincide with Rainbow’s twenty-fifth anniversary year, it looks forward just as we mark the very considerable past accomplishments of Rainbow over a quarter of a century. Throughout the year, the series will examine the ideas and motivations of individuals that are currently having, or have the potential to transform the way we look at how children are raised. And that means all children, not just those who are being fostered. But, since children who come into foster care can be disadvantaged in many different wa ..read more

Foster care provision is set to come under even greater strain in the coming weeks. The reason: delays to mental health treatment in England mean more children are being taken into care. The parents of these children have been driven beyond the point where they can cope. Warnings about the situation are coming in thick and fast. The latest has been issued by Steve Crocker the president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services. The rising number of child protection referrals is being driven by increasing numbers of young people with emotional needs. Crocker says: “we are seeing ch ..read more

Foster carers are trained to understand the importance of life story work, memory boxes, and their diary recordings. Anyone who is new to foster care needs to appreciate that their role as a carer is a vital part of supporting children and young people who have suffered various forms of abuse within their own families, or who seek refuge from risks within their environment. Foster an awareness of how identity is formed.  It must always be stressed how important it is for any child to know and comprehend the reasons why they came into care, and also know what has happened to them whilst in ..read more

Thanks to John: foster carer – Manchester region. Could anyone have guessed that the new millennium would so quickly begin to resemble a return to some of the worst excesses of the Dickensian era? What is startling is that the needs of many of our children are simply not being met. And in an increasingly wide variety of ways. True, we have had to navigate our way through a global pandemic. True also, we are now confronting a ‘cost of living crisis’: shaping up to be the worst in living memory. Both have exacerbated problems that were already impacting on our young people.  The country’s s ..read more

Foster carers and parents commonly experience difficult issues when looking after teenagers. There are many areas of potential conflict: agreeing on what is an acceptable time to stay out at night is one of the more common ones. But less attention is given to the issue of privacy and yet striking the right balance is essential to allow a teenager room for personal development. This includes learning new skills as well as exploring ideas about identity.  A little understanding can go a long way. Knowledge is usually an antidote to conflict. Understanding goes a long way. For example, it sh ..read more

Foster carers who have looked after teenagers will certainly understand the challenges that adolescence can pose. This can be a difficult time for all concerned. Teenagers, quite naturally, will be pushing the boundaries. This can create contradictory feelings: one minute they embrace feelings of liberation from perceived parental authority to be quickly tempered by apprehension, insecurity, and self-doubt. The path to adulthood is not a smooth transition for any of us. Feelings of insecurity can be supplanted by overconfidence in a matter of minutes. All quite natural. It does, of course, mak ..read more

Foster carers who have been fostering for a while understand one of the key stages in the process of ensuring a placement works out are managing first impressions. And one of the most challenging aspects of any new placement are those first few minutes when a young person first arrives. They are likely to be unsettled, disoriented and; if they have come from a placement that has broken down, upset and quite possibly resentful.  The objective should be to help a young person settle in as quickly as possible. And, with this in mind, one of the most effective steps foster carers can consider ..read more