Can I Foster Siblings With An Independent Fostering Agency

Unfortunately, there is a desperate need for more individuals and families to become foster parents. This is especially true when it comes to fostering siblings and finding a safe and nurturing home for more than one child. As an independent fostering agency, we work with every local authority across Wales and offer a number of different forms of fostering, such as fostering siblings, respite fostering, or specialised form of fostering such as parent and child placements. In this blog post we will explore how independent fostering agencies such as ourselves support sibling foster placements, and why it’s so important to be able to provide a nurturing environment for siblings in foster care.

Understanding Independent Fostering Agencies in Wales

Independent fostering agencies (IFAs) are organisations that work alongside local authorities to provide foster care for children who cannot live with their families. At Family Fostering Partners we train, recruit, and support people who want to become foster parents, we then match those individuals with children or young people who require homes. We play a crucial role in the fostering system by offering specialised support and training throughout your time as foster carers, from your first enquiry, through to looking after a child that’s matched with you and beyond!

The Importance of Fostering Siblings

For many children in foster care their siblings are their longest relationships and closest bonds. Keeping siblings together when they need to be placed with a foster family is crucial for their stability, continuity, as well as for their emotional well-being and development. Research has consistently shown that siblings placed together experience fewer placement disruptions, have higher personal well-being, and are able to maintain a stronger sense of identity and family connection. Therefore, facilitating sibling placements is a priority for everyone involved in fostering, especially for family run independent fostering agencies such as ourselves.

Can Independent Fostering Agencies in Wales Support Sibling Placements?

Yes, independent fostering agencies in Wales play a crucial role in supporting the placement of siblings together. At Family Fostering Partners, we’ve seen first hand through our work that maintaining family bonds i crucial when fostering siblings, consequently, we’re always looking to expand our cohort of carers to include more people who can care for siblings.

Challenges of Fostering Siblings

While the benefits are clear, fostering siblings comes with its unique set of challenges. The primary challenge is finding foster homes that have the space and resources to accommodate more than one child.

Additionally, siblings in foster care may have varying levels of emotional and physical needs stemming from their experiences prior to and during care. Managing these needs requires careful planning, ample resources, and a deep understanding of each child’s individual circumstances. Consequently, the ability to place siblings together depends on factors such as, the availability of foster families able to care for multiple children, and ensuring that the specific needs of each child can be met whilst fostering siblings together.

How Independent Fostering Agencies Help

As mentioned above, finding appropriate foster homes for siblings can be more challenging. Independent fostering agencies like ourselves help to address these challenges by providing targeted support and training to foster families looking to foster siblings.

1. Pre-placement training: Our foster parents receive training on how to handle the specific challenges of fostering siblings, including managing different behaviours, understanding group dynamics, and supporting each child's individual needs.
2. Ongoing support: Foster families receive continuous support from our link workers and our training team to help manage any issues that arise and to ensure that a foster home remains a supportive environment for all children. Everyone of our foster parents also receive free membership of a specialist organisation called FosterTalk.
3. Resource allocation: At Family Fostering Partners, we will help you to access any vital resource that a child in your care may need, for example, additional educational support, counselling, and health professionals.
4. Community building: We routinely organise support groups or community events that allow our foster families to connect, share experiences, and learn from each other.

Creating a Nurturing Environment when Fostering Siblings

The steps required to provide a nurturing environment for fostering siblings is similar to other forms of fostering:

• Maintain routines: Keeping a consistent routine helps provide stability and security for children, which is especially important for those who have experienced upheaval or trauma.
• Encourage individuality: While it’s important to nurture the sibling relationship, it’s also crucial to recognise and support each child’s individual interests, strengths, and needs.
• Promote open communication: Establishing a communicative environment where children feel safe to express their feelings and concerns can help imanage conflict and building trust.
• Family activities: Engaging in activities that the whole family can participate in helps strengthen bonds and creates a sense of belonging and togetherness.

Conclusion

Independent fostering agencies such as ourselves in Family Fostering Partners play a crucial role in ensuring that siblings in foster care are able to be looked after together. However, we cannot do this work alone, we need more families and individuals to come forward and become foster parents for sibling groups. Consequently, if you would like to learn more about fostering siblings, we’re always eager to speak to you. You can apply to be a foster parent today by clicking here and completing our application form. Alternatively, we can be contacted by visiting our “Contact Us” page, by using our fostering live chat feature, or by calling us directly on 0330 0948816.