emergency foster care placement considerations
There are some things you want to think about when it comes to opening your home for foster care emergency placements. Emergency placements typically stay overnight at your house 1-2 nights. It is short term but you still want to be prepared.
Many times, foster parents are under prepared when they get the call. They find themselves rushing to the store at the last minute for snacks, food, clothing & toiletries. Don’t let that be you! There are things that you can do so you are not running around frantically at the last minute trying to get what you need for the child/children that are coming into your home. Keep in mind, the foster child can feel the stress you are feeling so the more prepared you are the more calm you’ll be. This will help the foster child feel more comfortable coming into your home.
Here are some tips to help you get prepared!
1.) Have a good variety of snacks/food on hand. Remember to keep it simple and don’t over complicate it. Here are some things that I recommend!
2.) Make sure to have extra clothing on hand. Especially PJ’s, socks and underwear. You can have pants, shirts and sweaters as back up in case they don’t have much. Here are some clothing items to stock up on!
3.) Calming items can help them stay relaxed with the stress of coming to a strangers house. Here are some things that may be able to help!
4.) Don’t forget about kid friendly entertainment! If you choose to play a game with them it can be a good ice breaker. Keep in mind, engaging in play can help you bond with the child. Here are some things I recommend!
5.) Talk with them about what the day will look like when they are with you. Depending on what time of day they come, that can look a little different. If they come at night, show them around the house, ask if they are hungry or would like to take a nice hot shower. Show them their room and your room so if they need you that night they know where to get you. Also, be sure to show them where the bathroom is.
Make sure to talk with them about the routine of your house and what time you eat breakfast, lunch & dinner so, they know when to expect that. If it is a school day tell them you will be dropping them off at school and picking them up. Sometimes, foster parents allow them to stay home from school because it can be a lot in one day to be removed from their home, placed in a strangers home and then have to go to school all in one day. Be sure to discuss this with your social worker before having them stay home from school if they need one day to adjust.
6.) Have a welcome kit with toiletries. Here are some things I would recommend!
To shop my full Foster Care Collection Kit click below:
https://kit.co/rachelallthingsfoster
**Keep in mind every child is different and will have different needs. You will also want to keep in mind the age range that your home is open to. Based on that, these items can vary.
Friendly Reminder:
I am not a counselor, doctor, teacher, attorney or social worker. These tips are from some of my experiences and things I have learned along the way.