Raising foster children is rewarding and fulfilling, but it can be significantly difficult work, too. It is not for the faint of heart! Offering compassionate expressions of care and nurture for as long as this child is in your care gives them a safe place to learn new behaviors and coping skills. You are doing vital work by stepping in as a safe landing place for these children.

In your foster parent training, you learned about topics like trauma, neglect, prenatal exposure, attachment, and managing behavior. You must continue to educate yourself on these issues and others, like building felt safety, managing challenging behaviors, and supporting this foster child in school. Learning how to help the child’s parents while they are working toward reunification is also vital – after all, almost 50% of foster children leave the system to return to their families.

It’s also a good idea to find a support network for your family that provides practical care and emotional support to sustain you in the challenging moments of raising foster children. Friends and family may be willing to help with practical tasks like laundry, freezer meals, childcare, or homework help. Remember to talk with the caseworkers to set up respite care resources. Consider the CreatingaFamily.org online community to connect with other foster families.