Fostering when you have your own children can provide an amazing advantage. The children that come into placement with you will have someone to play with, have the opportunity to grow their communication skills, and learn valuable lessons like sharing and making friends. Your birth children will also benefit in similar ways, which will help them grow into empathetic, compassionate young adults.

Although there are more positives than negatives, it is important to look at both sides. Some children may find it hard to understand why you would want to have more children when you already have them, or why the foster children may present some challenging behaviours. It is important to explain to your birth children some of the early life experiences the children and young people may have been through at home (where appropriate) so they are able to better understand this behaviour.

You will have a dedicated Supervising Social worker who is available to help you every step of the way through your fostering journey. They are not just there to help our foster carers, but the whole family.