How biological children of foster carers are included in the fostering process
Wondering how your children will be included in the fostering process if you apply to become a foster carer? At Foster with North East, we are here to help.
Considering and including biological and adopted children living in a household is central to the fostering assessment process. Social workers sensitively work with you to gather information about your family and to prepare young people for fostering.
At the Foster with North East hub, we can offer support and guide you on how your household is likely to be involved in your application. Read on to learn more about how biological children of foster carers are included in the process with our Foster with North East partner councils from the very start. Plus, discover experiences of North East foster carers and their birth children from our community.
How many biological children are part of foster families in the UK?
Many fostering families have biological and adopted children living with them or elsewhere when they apply to foster. If you already have experience of caring for children this can be a real benefit. Your assessing social worker will work with you to explore how fostering might work for you as a family, including the types of fostering that could work for you.
The impact of fostering on birth children of carers
Being part of a fostering family can mean changes and challenges for birth children and adopted children. All local authorities are careful to consider any potential impact on children in fostering families and their home environment.
Our team can provide help and advice on how to approach the topic of fostering with your children. During the fostering application process, your assessing social worker will gather information about children living with you.
We'll talk through details such as:
the age of children
number of bedrooms in your home
if any children share bedrooms
If you have children living elsewhere, we will also chat about them - including adults aged 18 years or above. We want to get to know you and get a picture of your family dynamic.
How we help biological children understand the fostering process
"I have two little ones that I've adopted that are three, nearly three and just turned six. My older adopted child, she's got some additional needs, so we've got to make sure her needs are met and when we take in other children that's always kept in mind when placements come in." parent and child foster carer, Joanne.
Support for birth children
We work closely with our 12 Foster with North East partners and can signpost specific ongoing support available for children of foster carers such as peer groups and social activities. Children also benefit from the Mockingbird fostering programme which brings together fostering families including birth children for support, social activities and making memories.
I don't have any biological children, can I still foster?
You don't need to have a birth child to be able to provide a safe and loving home for children in care. You can be a foster carer with or without children at home and don't need to have been a parent before. Don't let any misconceptions hold you back. Read who can foster and discover more about your eligibility to become a foster carer.
Explore experiences of birth children in videos from fostering families
Hear about the experiences of birth children in videos from our fostering families:
"The work they do is amazing. I can see it in the children, and you know, it's because of us all as a family, but specifically my mum and Gary, they have brought that out of them. And it's really nice to watch and to see and be a part of that." daughter of sibling foster carer, Elizabeth.
Could you join our community of foster carers and share your home to shape their future?
The Foster with North East team is here to support you. We can talk you through what's involved in the foster care application process for you and your whole household. We can also match you up with a foster carer buddy to answer questions you might have. Explore how fostering could work for your family, make an enquiry or call us on 0800 017 7771.
