The Role of Foster Parents as Advocates

Foster parents play a critical role as advocates for the children in their care. When a child enters the foster care system, there are often some challenges. They may have been removed from their biological parents and family due to abuse, neglect, or other safety concerns. This means that foster children can have complex needs, both emotionally and regarding their physical health and development. As advocates, foster parents must ensure these vulnerable children have their needs met while in care.  

Liaise with Medical Professionals

One of the most important jobs as a foster parent is to help with a child’s medical care. Children in foster care may arrive in your home with undiagnosed physical, mental, and developmental issues. They may not have received regular doctor or dental visits with their biological family. 

As an advocate, a foster parent will work with the foster agency, such as this Manchester fostering agency, social workers, and anyone else involved in the child’s case. They will take the child for GP appointments, hospital appointments, dental care appointments, developmental assessments, and mental health screenings if necessary. The foster parent must then make sure the child attends all follow-up medical appointments, receives any needed medications or treatments, and that all medical issues are being properly addressed.

Meeting a Foster Child’s Physical and Emotional Needs

In addition to physical health, foster parents advocate for a child’s mental and emotional needs. Children in foster care may have experienced trauma such as abuse, neglect, domestic violence, or substance misuse in the home. This can lead to behavioural issues, difficulties in school, trouble socialising, and mental health concerns like depression or anxiety. As advocates, foster parents can work to get assessments and counselling to help the child cope with and recover from their past traumas. This means working collaboratively with social workers, therapists, and other professionals to get the child the mental health support they require.  

Education

Foster parents also advocate for a child’s educational needs. Changing schools frequently disrupts a foster child’s education and causes setbacks. As advocates, foster parents aim to have the child remain at the same school if possible for consistency, which could be the school they were attending before they entered care. Foster parents may need to advocate for special education testing, tutoring services, or other school-based support by attending SENCO meetings and parent/teacher conferences.

The foster parent advocates for the child’s needs and best interests in court hearings and meetings with the foster agency. They may write reports for the court about the child’s progress and specific needs. Foster parents also provide input on adoption or reunification plans to ensure the decisions honour the child’s wellbeing and wishes.  

Being a foster child’s advocate enables the foster parent to make a profound difference in the life of a vulnerable child. Through dedicated advocacy, foster parents help ensure the complex needs of the child are fully addressed across all areas of health, mental health, education and permanency planning. This provides stability and a brighter future for children as they journey through the foster care system.

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