Welcoming a New Foster Child
The day your foster child arrives in your home is probably the worst day of her life. Most children, regardless of the circumstances of their removal, want to be at home–and that does not mean your home. It helps to start your fostering experience with this understanding.
When a child arrives they may have a variety of emotions ranging from terrified, angry, and often guilty. No one is at their best with this stew of emotions. The children already in your home are also facing a big adjustment. Flexibility is key, especially within the first few weeks a new foster child is in your home. The child’s world is topsy-turvy and you will have less information and control than you want. Prepare for this by lowering expectations.
Creating a Family has many resources that will help foster parents prepare for Welcoming a New Foster Child. A few of those resources that you might find helpful are:
- How Do You Manage Relationships with Birth Parents with Substance Use Disorders? (article)
- Practical Tips for Fostering a Sibling Group (article)
- 6 Tips for Creating Attachment (article)
- Basic Baby Care (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- Adopting or Fostering a Child Who Identifies as LGBTQ+ (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- Handling Screens and Technology as a Family (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the many other resources we have on Welcoming a New Foster Child in the form of articles, podcasts, tip sheets, and fact sheets.
Additional Resources
