Common Fostering Challenges and How to Overcome Them

When you decide to become a foster parent - or when you’re considering becoming a foster parent – it's not always going to be smooth sailing. Fostering can be as challenging as it can be rewarding. Here at Excel Foster Care, we’re here to help and support you to overcome any challenges you might face on your fostering journey. This guide will explain some of the common challenges foster carers face and how to overcome them.

Managing challenging behaviour

It’s not uncommon for children who have experienced trauma in their lives to display some challenging behaviours when settling into a new home. Some of these behaviours can include, but are not limited to;

• Running away
• Anger issues
• Low mood
• Bullying
• Self harm

It’s important to remember that if your foster child exhibits challenging behaviour, it’s often due to past trauma, and you don’t have to handle it alone.

We understand that many children will need additional support from their foster carer, especially if they have experienced trauma in the past or have mental health challenges. That’s why we have developed Multi-disciplinary Assessment Treatment & Therapy (MATTS), with the aim of providing foster children with mental health services when needed. It will also provide you with helpful strategies to help you to manage challenging behaviour.

Interacting with Birth Parents

The end goal of the majority of foster placements is reunification. So it’s important to remember that all foster children will have contact with their birth parents as long as it is safe to do so. Navigating contact with your foster child’s biological family can bring its own challenges, such as;

• Maintaining stability
• Managing expectations of both your foster child and the birth family
• Connecting with the birth family
• Monitoring any behavioural changes caused by contact with the birth family

It’s important to maintain positivity when talking about your foster child’s birth family and work with them to strengthen the bond between the child or young person and their family as they work towards reunification.

When you have developed a relationship with your foster child it can be difficult to say goodbye. However, our team is always here to support you.

Encouraging Education

In some cases, foster children may have lacked support with their educational or developmental needs. They may not have had a good home environment study or much structure or routine in their lives. It can be difficult for some children to prioritise education when it may seem trivial in comparison to what they have had to deal with growing up.

As a foster parent, it’s important to encourage children to engage in education. This might be by setting up a quiet area for them to do their homework, or by reading with them and rewarding any educational successes.

At Excel Fostering, you never have to face fostering challenges alone, we offer regular training including how to look after children with challenging behaviours, regular contact with a dedicated social worker and a support network of foster carers that you can talk to for help and advice. If you’re ready to start your foster care journey, learn more about the benefits of fostering with Excel or talk to a member of our helpful team today.