Becoming a foster carer is one of the most important decisions you can make. You will be in a position to truly turn a child’s life around. At the same time, there are benefits that accrue to you as the foster carer. Here we look at the benefits to foster children and their carers that arise from the fostering relationship.
Advantages for Foster Children
Foster children gain many benefits from being placed in a suitable foster home. Here are a few:
A Different Family Dynamic
When a child is placed in foster care, they are coming from a background of trauma, such as being neglected or even abused physically, emotionally, mentally, and/or sexually. This derails the normal developmental milestones of each successive stage of childhood. But you can make the difference between developing mental health issues such as PTSD and depression and the warmth of a stable, loving home.
A Safe Environment
After the challenges of abuse and neglect in the primary home, a foster child gains a safe environment when they are placed with the right family or carer. A child needs to feel safe enough to express their needs and opinions. You give children this chance as a foster carer.
Academic Success
Almost 50% of foster children have been found to have lower reading skills than their peers. Being placed can help the child to focus on their schoolwork in a safe environment. The first eight years of life are crucial to setting down the healthy psyche and developing correctly on the mental and emotional levels. As a foster carer, you can ensure the successful completion of a child’s schooling.
Advantages for Foster Carers
Foster care is not thankless work. As well as financial compensation and other benefits, there are many rewards to be reaped. Here are some benefits you will experience as a foster carer:
A Fostering Allowance
Foster carers enter this career to make a difference in a child’s life. However, they are not expected to do this purely from the goodness of their hearts. Find out more about the fostering allowance and other support that foster carers receive from fosteringpeople.co.uk.
A Great Career
You will find fulfilment in being a foster carer. It is a career choice as you need to be able to focus on the wellbeing of children in your care. Apart from being well-paid, you will be able to grow and develop new skills and feel emotionally rewarded as you take care of these children in need. You will see the results of your efforts and be inspired to continue in this role.
Long-term Foster Care
When you first embark on a fostering role, you will usually be given short-term placements as you find your feet. Later, you may have the opportunity to engage in long-term foster care. This is doubly rewarding. Not only are you helping a child in need, but you also get to include the foster child as a permanent member of your household.
Changing a Child’s Life
The greatest reward of being a foster carer is knowing that you have given a disadvantaged child a new lease on life. Watching a child blossom into a happy and productive person is a wonderful feeling that makes it worthwhile.
Make the decision today to change a child’s life for the better.
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