How to Foster a Child and Involve Your Extended Family

When you’re exploring how to foster a child, it’s natural to focus on the immediate changes to your household. But fostering isn’t just about the support one foster parent, or one fostering household provides, it can also be an opportunity to build a wider circle of support. Your extended family can play an important role in helping a looked after child feel welcomed, valued, and part of a bigger community. At Family Fostering Partners, we’ve seen how involving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and close family friends can make fostering even more rewarding for everyone involved - much like the way extended family naturally lends a hand in any household.

Why involve your extended family in foster caring?

Fostering is a team effort. While foster parents are the primary caregivers, having the support of extended family can:

• Provide emotional reassurance – Knowing that others in your family are supportive can give you confidence as you begin your fostering journey.
• Create a sense of belonging for the child – Looked after children often feel isolated, so being welcomed into a larger network can help them feel more included.
• Offer practical support – From occasional childcare to lending a listening ear, extended family can be a valuable part of your fostering toolkit.
• Help with resilience – Fostering can bring challenges, but having loved ones around who understand your role can make a big difference.

Ultimately, fostering is about community and connection, and your extended family can play an integral role in that. In addition to the support your extended family can provide, we have our own package of support available to all foster parents; regardless of the type of fostering they do. 

You will have your own designated Link Worker, access to regular training sessions, a 24/7 advice line, online and in person peer support groups, regular days out and fully paid for membership to Foster Talk. They provide free legal, medical and financial advice, as well as exclusive offers, discounts and savings.

How to involve your extended family when fostering a child

If you’re wondering how to foster a child in a way that includes your family, here are some simple steps to help:

• Talk to them early on – Before you apply to foster, have open conversations with your family. Explain why fostering is important to you and what it might mean for them.

Hear from Steve, a foster parent who tell us about the positive reaction his family had to him deciding to foster. 

• Share information about fostering – Sometimes, family members might have misconceptions about fostering. At Family Fostering Partners, we’re always happy to share information about who we are, resources or even chat with your loved ones so they feel informed. 
• Invite them to meet your fostering agency – Throughout your assessment process, your assessing social worker will speak to family members and friends who are providing you with a reference. They are welcome to ask the assessing social worker any questions that they have about fostering. 
• Encourage inclusive activities – Whether it’s Sunday lunch, birthdays, or family outings, small gestures of inclusion help a looked after child feel part of your wider family network.

Benefits of involving your extended family in fostering a child

When extended family members are supportive and engaged, the rewards are immense.

• Stronger support for you – Knowing you have people to lean on can be a huge factor in helping you feel supported. Alongside the support of your family, you will also have a designated link worker who will be there to support and guide you throughout your fostering career. We’ll be there from the early stages of discussing ‘how to foster a child’, all the way to your matching, and then throughout your entire fostering journey.
• Extra stability for the child – Looked after children thrive when they feel accepted by a larger community. Hear from Davin, a care experienced individual who tells us how invaluable it was to have his foster parents extended family in his life.

• Shared joy and connection – Family members often develop their own special bonds with looked after children, creating meaningful relationships for everyone.

At Family Fostering Partners, we recognise that fostering touches the lives of the whole household and beyond. That’s why we offer training, support, and open communication to help you and your family every step of the way.

Know how to foster a child and want to start the process? 

If you’ve been thinking about how to foster a child and want to learn more about the process, we’re here to help. Our friendly team can answer your questions and guide you through everything you need to know; whether you’re fostering as an individual or with the support of your whole family.

Get in touch with Family Fostering Partners today and start your fostering journey.