Becoming a foster parent to a child can be very rewarding but it is also a potential challenge.
In many cases, the individual that you take into your home may have been badly affected in their early lives and need special care and attention.
Before you decide to take on this responsibility, find out as much as you can about him or her, by talking to them and the various professionals involved with their care.
Make sure you know details of their background and any behavior patterns that may be against the norm for their age.
Feelings of abandonment, which are often seen in foster children, need to be dealt with very sensitively and in an appropriate manner.
They will need to know that they can trust you but also the boundaries that you will be setting in your home.
Feelings of affection and love will slowly grow as you learn more about each other and find ways to bond easily.
Make sure you spend some time alone together to find out what common interests you have. Then make sure that you do things together as a family as all this will help the child settle into their new environment.
Give them a routine and allocate chores so they can contribute to the running of the house. They need to feel part of your life not just a visitor passing through. Ensure, if possible, that have a specific individual space, an area where they can spend time on their own.
