Fostering Siblings in Foster Care – A Guide for Potential Foster Carers in Newport
Keeping Siblings Together Is a Priority
Placing Siblings in Foster Care – a Guide for Foster Carers in Newport. Welsh Government guidance on foster care states that when a child or young person in care has brothers and/or sisters also in care, the child(ren) must be considered as a potential placement option. Children with brothers and/or sisters in care have been separated from them in the past and further separation is likely to cause greater harm than placing them together. Children and young people with brothers and/or sisters in care can be placed with their siblings in a variety of settings, including with foster carers. Children and young people with brothers and/or sisters in care who are placed with their siblings in a foster care setting are supported by a placing team of social workers.
Space Requirements Are Specific
Newport’s placing teams will assess your home to ensure it is large enough for a sibling group. The age of the children and whether they are of opposite sex and over ten years will be taken into account. Typically, children of opposite sex over the age of ten will require their own bedrooms. All children will need enough space to sleep, play and do homework. Your supervising social worker can provide you with more details on space needed and assess your home to see if it is suitable for a sibling group.
Contact When Siblings Are Placed Apart
On the odd occasion that siblings cannot all be placed together then one child may be placed with you whilst the others are placed elsewhere. In these cases the foster carer may be expected to support contact between the children and this may involve the collection and return of children to another part of the country as well as management of pre and post contact emotions.
Allowances Reflect the Extra Demand
Fostering allowances are paid for each child within a placement and increase with the age of the children and their individual needs. The carer’s agency will advise on the fostering allowance prior to placement and this should be confirmed in writing to ensure that carers are aware of the total amount that they will receive for any placement of children.
Questions to Ask Before Saying Yes
Before you say yes to a sibling placement ask how the children’s needs are different, whether any of the children have additional needs and what respite is available to you and your family. More on Foster Care Newport can be found at https://saferfostering.org.uk/foster-care-wales/newport/.
By reading this you will be well informed to provide a stable and prepared home for any number of siblings.
