Three Ways Foster Parents Can Help a Child Adjust to Their New Foster Home

Are you thinking about becoming a foster parent or did you just become one? We recently met with seasoned Raintree foster parents and they shared some of their wisdom with us on how to help a child adjust to their new foster home:

1.) Treat a foster child like they’re your child. Get involved with the child to help them succeed. Bring them into the community so that they can experience a change in environment, meet new people, and make friends outside of school.

2.) Get to know the child. Every child’s story is different. Give them enough time to learn who they are. Express understanding and encourage them to explore their interests. Create an environment that encourages learning.

3.) Be patient. All foster children have experienced challenging situations. A child may come into your care and you may expect to see a difference in 30 days, but it takes some time to learn healthy behaviors and for them to establish trust with you and become more comfortable with their new surroundings.