Have you recently welcomed a new foster child into your home? Do you want to be sure things go as smoothly as possible for them and they feel comfortable in their new surroundings? It’s a concern all foster carers have, as your main priority as a carer is to give children a stable, secure and comfortable home. With that said, these tips can help you in the initial days and weeks as the entire household gets to know each other better and your foster child settles in.

Encourage Them to Add Personal Touches to Their Room

Part of the requirement of being a foster parent is making sure your foster child has a bedroom to themselves, so you have probably decorated a space that would feel comfortable and welcoming. However, that was before your foster child arrived and before you knew much about their personality. Now that you are getting to know them, why not encourage them to add some personal touches to their room?

If your foster child is too young to do this on their own, you can help them and maybe add décor, wall art, personal photos, or even a gallery wall, and other such items that speak to their personality or have meaning to them.

Include Your Foster Child in Making Plans

While it may be normal for you to plan your week without much thought since it is second nature, now that you have a foster child living with you, it’s time for a different approach. You don’t want to just dictate a schedule to them, rather you want them to feel part of the household and part of the action. This means including them in making monthly, weekly and daily plans. There will be routines that will need to remain the same, but in terms of activities, events and other such things, why not get their input?

Open the Lines of Communication

Even if your foster child is putting up a strong front and looks to be settling in well, you still want to be sure the lines of communication are wide open. Ask questions, strike up conversations and start laying the groundwork so they feel comfortable talking to you about anything and know you will listen and support them.

Reach Out to the Agency for Support

It’s important to note that you can also reach out to your foster agency, such as orangegrovefostercare.co.uk, for help and support at any time. Foster agencies encourage their carers to contact them any time, which means you are never alone; this is a team effort to ensure the foster child in your care gets everything they need to thrive.

Depending on the agency, they may be able to schedule more frequent visits and offer mentoring, even in those initial first few months when you may be trying to learn as many new skills as possible.

Taking each of these steps can help your foster child to settle in faster, better and happier as they get to know their new surroundings and daily routine.