Parenting Children in Foster Care

Foster families are in a unique position to help children in their care by providing a safe and stable home. They may parent children who have experienced loss and who have various levels of resilience. This may impact the way children interact with those around them, how they perceive their world, or how others perceive them. To support a child's social, emotional, and physical well-being, foster parents should be prepared to maintain the child's current connections while building a relationship with the child. The following resources provide information to better prepare foster parents to handle the ups and downs of parenting children in foster care.

10 Tips for Foster Parents to Help Their Foster Youth Avoid Teen Pregnancy
National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (2006)
Offers ideas to help foster parents strengthen their relationships with foster youth and on how best to communicate about sex, love, and relationships.

Create a Great Relationship With Your Foster Child's Caseworker
DeGarmo (2016)
ExpertBeacon
Discusses ways to create a healthy, effective working relationship between the foster parent and their caseworker, with a primary focus on the needs and concerns of the child in foster care.

Family Focused Treatment Association
Provides resources to connect biological, foster, and adoptive families with organizations supporting family-based treatment for youth.

Helping Youth Transition to Adulthood: Guidance for Foster Parents

Series Title	Factsheets for Families
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 487KB) Order (Free)
Year Published	2013

Provides foster parents with guidance on how to help youth and emerging adults build a foundation for a successful transition to adult life outside of foster care. The first section provides background information on some of the unique challenges that youth in foster care face as they navigate their teenage years, and it includes information on brain development in young adults and programs that can help youth transition successfully to adulthood. The second part includes eight tip sheets that provide information and resources for foster parents on specific topics—such as money management, health care, and employment—so that they can better help youth prepare for independence.

The Pros of Including Foster Children in Your Family Vacation Plans (PDF - 2,007 KB)
Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parents Association (IFAPA) 2013
Marshall County Support Group Newsletter, 1(10)
Discusses some of the benefits of taking foster children on family vacations, which can allow for time to bond as a family, create unique experiences and memories, allow children to experience family vacations as a normal part of growing up, let children know they are important enough to include, and allow children to be a part of the planning process.

Social Media: Tips for Foster Parents

Series Title	Factsheets
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 164KB)
Year Published	2013

Describes the advantages and challenges foster parents may encounter when using social media in their role as foster parents. Issues that should be considered and tips for handling issues are also offered. Ways to guide youth in the safe use of social media are also discussed.

Tips and Suggestions Foster and Adoptive Parents to Help Youth Thrive (PDF - 3,584 KB)
Ramsey County Community Human Services, Permanent Families Recruitment Project (2012)
Shares tips and suggestions for foster and adoptive parents that were developed based on feedback from focus groups with 17 youth (ages 12–22) from Ramsey County, Minnesota to improve the licensing, training, and placement process.

Welcoming a Foster Child Into Your Home
Adoption.net
Discusses the feelings and challenges foster parents experience during their first placement. The article also provides guidance to address questions foster parents may have for their caseworkers and provides suggestions on first steps they can make once their children arrive for their first nights.