Foster Care
What is Special Needs Foster Care?
Special needs foster care, often called medically fragile foster care, help children living with certain disabilities thrive. Read more in our blog!
Foster care helps children everywhere thrive. However, we often only think of younger children and overlook teens—they require love and care, too!
When we think of foster care, for many of us, the first thing that comes to mind is caring for younger children.
However, the reality is that older kids and teens need the same love and care—they may have gone through difficult times, too!
That’s why we’re highlighting the need for teenage foster care — to raise awareness for teens in need and help them find a forever home where they can thrive.
As with any blended family, there might be some rough spots along the way, but that’s okay! It’s also a great experience that leaves a lasting impact on the life of an older child or teen.
The same goes for siblings — what happens when several children in the same family end up requiring love and nurturing through foster care? Foster parents that are willing to open their homes to siblings help them stay together as a family.
Let’s dive into what foster parents can expect from teens and groups of children.
Fostering Older Children Can Be Challenging, Yet Fulfilling
Up to 36% of children in foster care are 11 years or older — they need love and care, too!
Older children in foster care may have lived with trauma, abuse, or neglect, which can make it harder for them to trust and form bonds with adults. As a result, foster parents who take in older children must be patient and ready to build a bond of trust with the child.
Older children in foster care may also come with more complex emotional and behavioral issues that need support and care. They may have found their own ways to cope or to deal with trauma, which can show up as anger, aggression, or withdrawal. Foster parents should be ready to work with the child to understand and solve these issues through therapy, counseling, or other forms of support.
Despite these challenges, fostering older children can be very fulfilling. By offering them a stable and loving home, foster parents provide a safe and nurturing place where the child can thrive and grow. They can offer the child the emotional support and guidance they need to overcome the hardships they’ve faced and move forward.
It’s Important to Keep Siblings Together
Fostering groups of kids or siblings is really important because it helps maintain a sense of normalcy in what may be a very disruptive time.
Another benefit of fostering groups of children is that it can help children build important social and emotional skills. When foster parents take in a group of kids, it helps the kids learn how to get along with each other and share things. They can also be good friends and help each other when things are tough. Foster parents who take care of a group of kids have a big job, but they also get to help lots of kids feel happy and loved.
Foster parents who foster groups of children or siblings have a chance to make a positive impact on multiple children's lives and create a greater sense of family in their home. They can develop meaningful relationships with each child, help them get through their challenges, and provide them with the support they need to succeed.
Read Real Stories From Real Foster Parents
If you want to learn all about the kind of difference you can make as a foster parent, look no further than Letters Written With Love.
This collection of heartfelt letters from real foster parents illustrates exactly the kind of difference foster parents make. Get first-hand accounts from those who have been there.
Get your free scrapbook today!
