How to help a foster child feel comfortable in a new home.

With children who are removed from their biological parents the transition between their old homes and new homes can be quite scary for a child. They are out of their norm, live with a completely new family and may even attend a new school. Growing up in foster care myself there were a few things my foster parents did in order to make me feel more at ease.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Yourself
• Patience

1. 1* When the child first enters your home take the time to get to know them. What they like to do, things they like to eat, shows they enjoy watching. By doing this you will have them feel more comfortable and more at ease in the new environment.

2. 2* Show them around the home. Be sure to show them where things are at and where their stuff is going to be. Also take the time to explain any house rules that you have so that they understand what is acceptable and what is not. By showing them where things go and what to do they will have more of a sense of that this is their home.

3. 3* Plan a fun family activity for everyone to go and do together. This will help the child and the family be able to remove and stress from the move. It will help the child and other family members get used to one another and also have fun as a group.

4. 4* Let the child know that you are here for them and if they have anything that they would like to talk about that they can come and talk to you about it.

5. 5* Be sure to include the child is activities that the family usually participates in. This can also include giving the child some chores around the house to do.

6. 6* Lastly treat them like they are your own children. The child may already feel as if they are abandoned and don't have a sense of belonging to anyone. The more they feel apart of a family, the happier they will be.