Children and young people of all ages require care and support from foster carers in the Rotherham area.
Many potential foster carers ask questions about the differing needs of children as they grow up, and how they can support older children to achieve their goals.
Fostering a teenager can be an extremely rewarding experience. Teenagers in care may have had an unstable start in childhood and giving them a caring family and stable home can make a huge difference to the adults they become.
Did you know?
As of April 2021, 63% of young people in foster care in England are aged between 10 and 18, while 24% are over the age of 16? We urgently need more full-time and part-time foster carers to consider fostering older children and teenagers in Rotherham.
Working with and fostering older children
Martin and Amanda have been fostering for 10 years, mainly caring for teenagers, and would recommend it as being a really rewarding experience.
"There’s nothing more rewarding because you see them blossom. You don’t see that with younger children because they’ve got such a journey to do before they can get to decide what they want. With the older ones you get that opportunity to give them independence and hopefully for them to be a part of your life” - Martin and Amanda, foster carers
There are lots of different fostering options that may be suited to your particular circumstances, including both full-time and part-time options.
Teenagers and older children tend to be much more independent which means that your role as foster carer can be much more flexible. Even as a full-time foster carer, you may be able to continue your career alongside providing care and support for a young person in Rotherham.
Here are three things you may not have considered about fostering teenagers or young people:
Celebrating the key milestones
As most of us will remember, being a teenager can be tough. You are learning to navigate the world in a new way, make new choices and gain the skills to see you through adulthood.
When you foster teenagers and young people, you can look forward to celebrating GCSE results, supporting them as they navigate first relationships and friendships and helping them as they decide what their next steps are.
To be able to support a child through this journey and help them thrive in their work life, education and private life, can be highly rewarding for both the teenager and the foster parent.
Without the guidance of a caring family, it can be very easy for teenagers to feel unsupported so as a foster carer, you will play a crucial part in their life and the type of person they become. As a carer, you will be supporting them and enjoying the triumphs of major milestones in their lives which they will never forget.
Communication
Unlike young children who are still developing their language and communication skills, teenagers have a better grasp of language and can tell you how they feel. They can express their emotions, experiences and worries, which can make it easier to be able to help and support them. If you can show care and empathy to teenagers, they will be more likely to open up about how they feel.
Watch them develop
Teenagers in care may have had an unstable start in childhood and giving them a caring family and stable home can make a huge difference to the adults they become. By providing a routine, a stable support system, encouragement and goals, you can make a huge difference in their lives. Something as seemingly simple as getting a good night’s sleep, free from stress and worry, can really improve their quality of life.
Things to consider
Of course, deciding to foster is not a simple decision. You need to consider your own circumstances and personality traits to determine whether it is the right course for you.
Often, fostering a teenager means you can be more flexible with your lifestyle as they become more independent. For example, many of our foster carers with teenage foster children choose to continue with their careers as school runs become less demanding.
You may also be able to enjoy more shared activities with a teenager than you may with a younger child such as watching the same films or taking part in outdoor pursuits.
There is nothing more rewarding than watching someone you care about succeed, even more so when you know you played a part in it.
Support from our therapeutic team
When you become a foster carer with Fostering Rotherham, you’ll work with a wider team of social workers and professionals. They will share the same goal as you to make sure the children in your care are safe, supported and happy.
Every looked after child has access to our amazing therapeutic team who provide personalised support sessions to help children navigate any specific needs they may have. Support can include face-to-face meetings, support over the phone and training sessions with foster carers to better equip them to support the children in their care.
“I've found the therapeutic services excellent. The support I've received is fantastic” - Sally and David, foster carers.