Have you ever thought about becoming a foster carer?
If so, you might have wondered what skills and attributes you need.
There are plenty of training courses for potential foster carers which can help teach strategies for adapting to life in the role, but certain personality traits are also necessary to excel in the role.
Positivity
Creating a positive environment is a must as a foster carer and having a sunny outlook on life can be contagious!
Happiness and positivity can be reassuring for foster children and help them thrive.
Being able to see the bright side of every situation is a fantastic attribute to have as a foster carer.
Patience
Children in need of foster homes have all lived through some kind of trauma which can impact on their behaviour and needs.
It can take time for children to learn to trust you and feel secure in their new environment, so patience is vital for any foster carer.
A Sense of Humour
Every parent or anyone who has ever worked with children knows that it can have challenging moments.
Having a good sense of humour and being able to laugh will help everyone in the house – after all, people do say laughter is the best medicine and people who laugh regularly have been found to have better mental health.
Creativity
Whether it’s building a den in the lounge on a rainy Sunday afternoon or decorating biscuits for a birthday party, having a creative mind ensures there are fun opportunities for learning and memory making.
If you are fostering in Manchester, there are many museums and galleries that you can visit to spark both activities and conversations.
Foster children may not have had some of the experiences their peers have had which is why the ability to offer them this type of activities is so important.
Reliability
Foster children need stability more than most and so being reliable is an essential trait for any foster carer.
Many other skills feed into being a reliable person – organisation, good timekeeping, common sense – and all of these ensure a foster child knows they can rely on you. This helps to build a strong relationship.
Warmth
Having a warm and welcoming personality can play a big part in forming the foster carer/foster child relationship.
A smile can go a long way, as can taking the time to understand what makes a foster child tick.
Showing appropriate levels of affection can nurture the bond between everyone in the house and this warmth helps a child feel appreciated and valued.
Resilience
Although it is one of the most rewarding things you can do, being a foster carer is not always easy.
There are times when you will have to be strong and resilient. This inner strength, along with having the support of friends, family, and professionals, will ensure you are able to give you all as a foster carer.
Everyone has different strengths, and each person has something they can offer a child.
Look inside yourself and think about the special attributes you have and how they could help you on your journey as a foster carer.
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