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5 Steps to Preparing Yourself for Fostering a Child

Fostering a child can be incredibly rewarding, and both you and your foster child can create bonds that will last a lifetime. The first few days are always the most challenging, but with the right amount of preparation, they will be successful. Here are a few top tips to help.

Do Some Research

You are not the first person, or the last, to consider fostering a child or to enter the fostering process. There is a wealth of information out there that can help you get ready to accept a foster child into your home. This guide on how to become a foster parent will help you navigate the first steps to fostering a child, from making your initial enquiry to welcoming your first foster child into your home. Once you have begun the process, there are still some things you can do to prepare yourself, your family, and your home for a foster child.

Stock Up on Food

The road to anyone’s heart is through their stomach, and children are no different. Your foster child may be a little quiet and justifiably intimidated at first, but it is only a matter of time before they are hungry. Have options ready for them. Work with your fostering agency to find out the child’s likes and dislikes and make sure you are aware of any special dietary requirements they have. Feeding a child a good meal is a great way to get them to settle, relax a little, and open up to you.

Get a Bedroom Ready

Joining a new family is an understandably intimidating process for a foster child. It can be emotionally overwhelming. When they arrive at your home you should have a bed and preferably their bedroom ready for them. This establishes that they have their own space that they can retreat to if they need to. This gives them a feeling of safety and they know they have a place where they can assess their situation and work through their thoughts at their own pace.

Be Ready Before the Call

Fostering can happen quickly. It is not uncommon within fostering to get a call to be ready to accept a new child just hours or a day or two before their arrival. Be ready ahead of time. Get everything ready and waiting, including food, linen, toiletries, and so on, so that you can welcome a new foster child into your home at the drop of a hat. This will help things go more smoothly when the day comes.

Prepare a ‘Family Book’

Foster children often suffer from information overload when they first arrive in a home and join a family. There can be a lot for them to take in. Preparing a scrapbook of information about all their new family members, including extended family, gives them a resource they can turn to when they want to refresh their memory and find out more on their own time. Foster children often appreciate a family book and will study it to better understand their place in their new family and learn who is who.

Becoming a foster parent is one of the greatest gifts you can give to a child. Though it comes with challenges, the rewards make it worth it for both parents and the child.

How to Help Kids Feel Safe Enough to Share Their Innermost Thoughts

Kids of any age can be reluctant to share their feelings and innermost thoughts. While some kids are afraid of being reprimanded for what they are thinking or feeling, others are simply embarrassed. It may not be anything that you have done or said but rather how they perceived your reaction in the past. For this reason, it is important to think about how you say something because we often have the best of intentions, but it just seems to come out wrong.

It’s Not What You Say But How You Say It

Maybe it’s the inflection in our voices or the look on our faces when kids say something they think we are unhappy with. It could even be our body language that can be misconstrued. Do you remember your mother telling you for most of your life that it’s not always what you say but rather how you say it? That may be why kids can easily get the wrong idea and are forever afterward reluctant to speak their mind. When you respond verbally, be careful of your words but equally as careful of the inflection in your voice. Remember, it’s really not what you say but how you say it sometimes.

Show Them You Will Love Them No Matter What

This is something we call “unconditional love” but it’s something kids have not learned just yet. It’s important to go beyond telling them that we will love them no matter what. We need to show them this is the case. If we can find a safe and quiet place to talk to our kids, it is vital that no matter what they say, you don’t react with anything other than a loving, accepting statement. If you see that they are embarrassed by what they are saying, you might even want to give them a quick hug and tell them you understand what they are feeling.

This is something the case managers at foster agencies like fosterplus.co.uk explain to all new foster parents. These kids may never have had the benefit of loving parents who accepted them for who they are. Bear in mind that their parents were facing issues of their own and often it was difficult to express the love that kids really need.

Create a Neutral Zone

If you still have difficulty getting kids to open up to you and you can tell that something is really bothering them, then perhaps you could set up a neutral zone where they can “deposit” their worries without speaking a word. Some families put up a “worry box” for kids to deposit a card that they’ve written out about what is troubling them. Although you will be the one reading it, never take it out with the kids anywhere in view. Wait until later in the night when they are sleeping or the next day after they go to school.

In fact, you don’t even need to verbally address the issue because you can always write a response or suggestion on that very same card. Just tuck it back in the box and wait for them to read it. This way, they cannot misinterpret your body language because they will neither see nor hear you when you respond.

Show Them You Understand

Any time you give an understanding response that is not judgmental, you will be showing the kids that they are safe coming to you with any concern they may have. That’s what you are here for and if they need help or advice, or even just understanding, you will be here. That’s what every child needs.

How can I apply to study in Singapore?

Singapore is an excellent place to study. It’s a stable country with a high standard of living and low crime rate, making it ideal for students. Furthermore, Singapore offers many opportunities to get involved in its vibrant culture through sport, music and the arts.

Find out more about studying in Singapore and what to consider when making a decision.

If you’re considering studying in Singapore, you might be wondering what it would be like to live and study in Asia.

Singapore is an excellent place to study, with a great reputation for higher education. In fact, the country’s universities are regularly ranked among the top 10 globally. Students can choose from a wide variety of subjects and courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels across all fields of study—from science and technology through to humanities and fine arts.

In addition to its world-class educational institutions, Singapore offers many other benefits for students: high-quality living standards; low crime rates; clean air; safe food supplies (including local produce); excellent healthcare facilities (including free medical care); high quality transport infrastructure; access to sporting activities such as swimming pools or gyms; plenty of places where students can relax after classes finish at night time…and much more!

Get information on your study options and apply for a course of study.

  • Find out about the courses and universities in Singapore that interest you.
  • Apply for a course of study, by filling out an application form, paying an application fee, and sending all required documents to the university of your choice.
  • Apply for a student pass at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website when it is appropriate to do so (for example if you are accepted as an international student).

Apply for a student pass to live and study in Singapore.

To get a student pass you need to apply online, and pay the application fee.

The documents you will need to provide include:

  • A copy of your passport.
  • A copy of your birth certificate or other equivalent document (such as a baptismal certificate).
  • Proof that you have been accepted by an accredited institution in Singapore. This can be in the form of an official letter from that organization confirming that they have accepted your application for admission and allowing them to process it further if necessary (for example, by issuing visas or arranging flights after arrival).

An education in Singapore can provide you with an experience that will enhance your career prospects and enrich your life.

Singapore is an international destination that offers a wealth of economic and educational opportunities. With more than 50 universities and colleges, it has one of the most extensive higher education systems in Asia.

In recent years, Singapore has grown into a global educational hub with world-class institutions offering a high standard of education. It’s also home to many international students who come here to study at any level – from bachelor’s degrees through PhDs, as well as short courses on topics including finance or entrepreneurship.

Conclusion

We hope that this article has helped you to understand how to apply for a course of study in Singapore. There are many different options available and the country offers some of the world’s best universities as well as an excellent quality of life.