THE DIMENSIONS OF

FOSTER CARE

Heartstrings Adoptions, Llc

jessica@heartstringsadoptions.com
1-855-902-5262

The Dimensions of Foster Care

Many consider foster care as a noble desire to help children. While it may come with
challenges, most people would conclude that the priceless rewards at the end make
everything worth it. But before anyone finalizes their decision to adopt a child, they should
understand that foster care has many facets.
Knowing what these dimensions are is key to successful foster parenting. Discussed
below are some things worth taking note of:
Choosing the Right Time
Time is an important factor that every soon-to-be foster parent should factor in.
Foster parents should understand that an addition to the family will have immediate effects
on the existing affairs and undercurrents at home. Choosing the right time depends on the
many transitions you and your family are currently experiencing. For instance, foster
parents probably should not consider adopting a child when one of them is having issues
with their career or is coping with the death of a relative.

Putting Ones Self in the Childs Shoes

According to an article published on
Princetons The Future of Children, 30% to 80%
of children in foster care exhibit emotional
and/or behavioral problems. These may stem
either from the experiences prior to foster care or
from the foster care experience itself.
Realizing this, foster parents should fully
understand what the child has gone through
before taking them into the family. This will help
foster parents provide the child with precisely
what they need once they are accepted into the
family. Foster parents should also take into
account that the childs timidity or irrational
antagonism in the first few weeks of stay may be
their adjusting mechanisms.
On Communication Issues
Foster parents should know that they will
be communicating with many different people.
This may or may not be an issue depending on
certain arrangements or the behavior of the child.
Typically, foster parents speak with the childs
birth parents or immediate relatives, social
workers, counsellors, and other foster parents.

Regardless of the circumstances, adopting a child requires foster parents to

look at their capabilities in all aspects: from financial to emotional facets. It is
important to understand that foster care is not just about having an addition to the
family; it is about changing your family.

SOURCES:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/adoption-stories/201103/reallyunderstanding-foster-care-part-1-what-is-home
https://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.x
ml?journalid=40&articleid=135&sectionid=888
http://www.heartstringsadoptions.com