With parenting there are lots of responsibilities, the same can be said for foster parenting.

There isn’t an exhaustive list for any foster parent role and its responsibilities but the team here at evolve have outlined the main focus of the role and its responsibilities below to give you a better understanding of what is involved.

The Requirements of a Foster Parent

Becoming a foster parent requires..

  • dedication
  • resilience
  • commitment
  • love
  • the ability to nurture
  • being able to create a safe space
  • self-reflection
  • understanding
  • proactiveness
  • dependability
  • empathy
  • and so much more.

One thing it’s not, is easy.

Here at evolve we don’t expect you to know everything. As with any professional role, training is provided.

All we ask is that you have an openness and willingness to learn.

The Day to Day Role of a Foster Parent and their Responsibilities

Foster parents are required to look after the child in their care as if they were your own.

As with birth children, your responsibilities change depending on a child’s needs and age. Foster parents must provide a loving and safe environment in which foster children can thrive. This includes allocating them their own bedroom to support their need for security and privacy.

There will be a variety of tasks specific to the child in your care, they may include needing to get the child to and from nursery or school safely, attending parent’s evenings, ensuring access to dental and medical care as and when needed, and ensuring they are able to maintain family contact (where appropriate).

Alongside this you will be expected to complete daily activity logs, detailing any necessary events of your foster child’s day and uploading them to evolve’s secure database. 

Foster parents are expected to attend yearly panel meetings, much like when you are approved to foster, to review your year of fostering and if anything has affected your eligibility to foster. It is an expectation that you will attend either face-to-face or virtual training as and when they are needed.

Why the Role of Foster Parents are so Important

The ultimate goal of foster care is to temporarily look after a child until they can return to their birth parents.

By becoming the best foster parent you can be you will be making a positive difference to the child in your care. Providing care, empathy, and a safe environment for them to flourish in their lives.

The team here at evolve will support you at every step of your fostering journey, ensuring that you are able to give the foster parent role the attention and focus that it requires.

To learn more about fostering, get in touch with the evolve team today.