Tips for making your new foster child feel at home

Having a good first impression is vital for your Foster Child to relax and feel welcome during the transition to their new home. Here are some tips so you can help them feel at home:

• When your foster child first arrives, it’s important to communicate openly and effectively. Introduce who you are, what you’re about and what makes you tick. It makes you human and someone they can relate and open up to. Make sure you let them know you’re there to support them and want to be someone they can trust and come to with any problems they’re facing, at any time of the day. On introduction, it can also be useful to have a sheet with photos, and a little about each person as your foster child might first feel overwhelmed and find it difficult to remember information.
• Create a personalised and comfortable space for them with a bed, dresser/wardrobe and furnishings. It’s important to make it feel homely and their own space, and so their bedroom should have none of your belongings in it. Once they have moved in, you could tell them that they can add their own personal touches to make it feel more like home to them.
• Establish a daily routine like getting up time and bedtime, when breakfast, lunch and dinner are served (to encourage independence, you may create their own snackbox with them, which they can help themselves to at any time). You should also take the time to find out what activities your foster child likes and include them in your daily routine too. Routines are necessary as they give children a sense of security and some control over their environment. This is something many foster children won’t have experienced, or struggled with – so an organised and consistent home life can be really helpful for making your foster child feel safe, secure and looked after, especially during stressful times.
• Create opportunities for connection and bonding like games nights, interactive activities and sports.