A cute little boy sharing ice cream with his sister.
Foster parents have a major role to play in helping children in foster care to maintain healthy relationships with their siblings. If you’re a foster parent, consider these suggestions for how to help preserve these important family connections.
Placed Together
Keeping siblings together is often the most desirable arrangement because it protects foster children. It reduces additional stress and enables them to enjoy daily contact and mutual support. If the circumstances surrounding the placement make this feasible and you have the resources to provide foster care for more than one child, you could be helping to make a challenging transition significantly easier.
Placed Apart
If siblings are placed in different homes, you can still provide the best conditions for them. Get to know the other foster parents who are caring for their siblings. This way you can exchange respite care with each other and the children can see each other regularly. Joint outings are also a fun way to spend time together. Indeed, plan trips to local parks, museums, and movie theaters. For the days in between visits, make sure you have each other’s contact information so brothers and sisters can stay in touch through social media and other methods. Keep in mind that you also need to be prepared for the emotional effects of such arrangements. Your foster child may need extra attention after visits, whether that means quiet time to help them settle down or a fun activity to lift their spirits.
Learn More About Supporting Sibling Relationships
Do you want to take better care of the children in our community? Contact us at 2Ingage to learn more about Texas foster care and how you can serve vulnerable children and families.
