Siblings who are separated in foster care can experience feelings of grief and anxiety. Often, they're concerned about the wellbeing and whereabouts of their brothers and sisters, which can prevent them from settling.

Depending on location and circumstances, it can also sometimes be difficult for the child to have contact with their siblings, which can affect their bond and shape their relationship into adulthood.

There are many benefits of placing siblings together in care, including:

  • They often settle into their new surroundings much better
  • They feel more secure being together and less worried about their siblings
  • They comfort and support each other during a highly emotional and difficult time
  • It provides a better sense of identity and belonging

Foster parents who can provide a stable, loving home to siblings can often be difficult to find, especially for larger sibling groups. Alongside the minimum requirements to foster, you'll need to:

  • Have a spare room for each child – unless they're able to share
  • Have the time to dedicate to caring for more than one child
  • Have the energy to meet the needs of each individual child

 

Fostering sibling groups may sound daunting, but it keeps us busy!

We fostered a brother and sister with five years age difference, so there was extra demand on our time with different school and nursery runs. As is the case with any foster child, it took time for them to settle into our home and become part of the family and get used to the day-to-day routine. We found once this happened, they became stronger as brother and sister – they really began to support each other!

It is great to see them play and interact in ways they never did when they first came to us. If you are fostering siblings, you do need a strong support network, a vehicle large enough and the ability to understand the changing dynamics between children from the same family.

We wouldn't have wanted anything else though, the rewards in seeing it work are huge!"

Get in touch

We believe in every child’s potential – if you do too, and have the skills we need, then sibling fostering could be for you.

If what you have read so far makes you think you could play a special role in a young person’s life, get in touch with one of our team to find out more by calling
0300 126 1009 or completing an enquiry online:

Enquire about fostering siblings