There are many things your foster child is going to need when they come to you. When you stop to think about it and get prepared – something that is crucial before any child arrives at your home – you’ll probably consider their physical needs first. You’ll have food for them, somewhere for them to sleep, clothing, perhaps toys depending on their age, toiletries, and so on. What you might forget about in all the preparation is that they will need emotional support as well as physical home comforts. Read on to find out how best to emotionally support a foster child so that they are happy and cared for, and so that you know you are doing the best for them.
Make Time For Them
One of the most important things you can do for your foster child is to make time for them. They will probably not be finding things easy; they will have been moved from one home to yours, they will be meeting new people, they might have to attend a new school, and much more. The worst thing that can happen in this situation is that they feel like a burden or that they are just there to make up the numbers.
If you, as a good foster parent with training from an agency like thefca.co.uk, can ensure that you set aside time for your foster child so that you can bond together, this will help the relationship become a much stronger one and will ensure that everyone feels comfortable in the home. You don’t have to do much to help this happen. It could be something like taking them out for a meal or to see a movie, or finding a shared interest and spending time enjoying it together.
Listen To Them
Communication is vital in any relationship, and when it comes to the relationship between a foster child and foster parent, this still holds true. You will need to have a good level of communication to ensure the foster child is aware of your rules and understands that they can come to you with any issues.
Talking is important but listening is crucial. Even if there is nothing you can do to help in a practical way, just being there to listen to problems and be an understanding person can be enough. When they feel they can trust you and have bonded with you, you might be the one person they feel happy to talk to about what they are going through, and that can certainly help with their emotional wellbeing.
Praise Them
Praise is such an important part of life not just for children but for adults too. Think about what happens when someone tells you you’ve done something right or that you’ve done a good job. It’s likely that you’ll work even harder and that you’ll be proud of yourself. This is why praising a foster child is an important element of helping with their emotional support. It might be that the child has never been praised before, and it can make a huge difference in their lives.
Of course, you shouldn’t praise problematic behavior, but by praising them when they do the right thing, they will learn how to behave, and their confidence will soar.
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