With more than 80,000 children and young adults currently in the care system throughout the UK, and fostering application numbers having dropped dramatically, there is a very real and urgent need for more foster parents in this country. In terms of rewards, nothing can deliver quite like fostering a child can, but the role of a foster parent isn’t without its challenges, too.
If you want to become a foster parent and start a fulfilling career that can reward you like no other, it’s important that you also recognize the challenges that such a role can bring.
To help you decide whether fostering is the right career choice for you, here are some of the rewards and challenges you are likely to face in your role as a foster parent:
Rewards of becoming a foster parent
There are too many to list in a short article, but here are some of the main rewards you’re likely to experience throughout your career as a foster parent:
- Making a difference to a child’s life
You can help give a child love and support at a time of crisis in their life.
- Building long-term bonds
Many children remain in contact with their foster parents long after being in their care, making the opportunity to create lasting and meaningful relationships, an ever present one.
- Developing new skills
Fostering will undoubtedly teach you a whole range of skills that you didn’t have prior to becoming a foster parent, many of which will go on to serve you well throughout your life.
- Fulfilment
Many people turn to fostering when their current careers aren’t giving them as much fulfilment (if any) as they would like, and making the transition to foster parent can be a truly transformative one for many.
- A sense of community
When you become a foster parent, you’ll find support in the form of therapists, social workers, and other foster parents, giving you an entire network of support to lean on and find solace in, if ever times get tough.
Challenges associated with becoming a foster parent
Not all foster children and the fostering process itself will bring challenges, but during your career, you’re bound to experience some things that may make you question your choice to become a foster parent:
- Emotional impact
Fostering has the ability to completely change your life, and while it will often change it for the better, sometimes the emotional consequences of fostering will be extremely challenging, particularly if you’re dealing with children who have gone through a lot of tough times in their young lives.
- Saying goodbye
Ultimately, foster children will at some point be reunited with their birth families, and when they do, it can be incredibly hard to let go and say goodbye to them.
- Navigating relationships with birth families
A lot of children in the care system no longer want to remain in contact with their birth families, and you may need to work closely with both parties to try and reach a positive outcome for everyone involved. Foster care placements aren’t always welcomed by the birth families, and you may even experience some hostility that you will need to manage effectively.
The highs and lows associated with becoming a foster parent can be monumental, but if you truly want to make a difference to a child’s life and choose a career that is both challenging and rewarding, fostering will give you all of that and more.
If you’re considering becoming a foster parent, take the time to research it properly and think carefully about the responsibilities that come with such a role before committing to anything.
