As rewarding as becoming a resource family can be, welcoming a new member into your home can be challenging. You may be feeling equally anxious and excited about what lies ahead. The child or children you agree to care for may feel angry and confused about being separated from their biological parents or former family and reluctant to start their life afresh in a new home.
This is why you need to take great care to prepare your family, home, and foster child for the coming change so the arrangement is easier for everyone involved.
Learn More About Fostering in California
Foster Parent Checklist
You may have limited time to prep your home before you receive news of your foster child’s placement. Your foster child is going through a great change or period of upheaval, so making your home as safe, welcoming, and comfortable as possible will make the transition less overwhelming and help them feel secure and safe again.
If this is your first time fostering, this guide will walk you through how you can prepare to be a foster parent by creating a home fit for foster placements.
It may take a while for foster children to fully settle into their new living conditions and family, but taking steps to prepare your home and make it feel welcoming for them will go a long way in easing the tension and jitters that usually accompany such a change.
Home Requirements for Foster Care
Foster home requirements differ in each state — typically, resource families need to acquire a license and are subject to home checks. Properties must meet minimum personal, safety, and space criteria.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the more general home requirements.
Physical Space
While warm and welcoming properties are a prerequisite for foster homes, there are also some physical space requirements, such as:
- Bedrooms: Foster children should have their own bed and, if possible, a separate bedroom. If they will need to share a room, make sure their corner of the space is tidy and comfortable. Their bed should be arranged, and it is a good idea to clear a portion of the wardrobe or shelves to accommodate their belongings.
- Living space: Children require open spaces to play, study, and relax. Homes with proper living spaces will enable them to fulfill these needs.
- Kitchen facilities: Share information about where to find snacks, basic kitchen essentials, and mealtimes. Help your children feel empowered to take an active role in food preparation and eating.
Safety and Health Standards
Foster homes need relevant safety protocols in place. From secure stairways to windows and doors with locking mechanisms, there are a few things you’ll need to ensure the most risk-free environment:
- Smoke detectors: Each floor should have a smoke detector. Resource families also have the responsibility to run periodic checks to ensure detectors are effective.
- Fire extinguishers: Resource parents must equip their homes with a fire extinguisher. As there are several fire extinguisher types, it’s best to consider the contents of your household when choosing the best option for your needs.
- First aid kit: Having an equipped first aid kid on hand means you’ll always have some antiseptic solution and bandages on hand for minor emergencies. Many states also require resource families to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid certifications prior to welcoming foster kids.
- Childproofing: If you’re fostering young children, it’s crucial you ensure all electrical areas are out of reach. In addition, covering sharp corners, unplugging appliances, and screening fireplaces are a great way to make homes safer.
Resource parents should also be on the lookout for mold and only use lead-free paint during renovations.
Foster Child Bedroom Requirements
The child’s bedroom should be your main focus as they’ll probably be spending a lot of time there during the first few days or weeks of their stay while they try to get acquainted with their new surroundings. Comfort should be your top priority. In addition, it should have everything they need to feel settled and organized.
Use our foster care bedroom checklist to help you set up this space:
- Decorate the room to suit the child’s age or needs: For younger kids, this means coloring books, storybooks, and toys. For older kids, magazines, video games, and a TV will be more fitting. Older children will also appreciate having a space that encourages their identity and independence. Add a desk and chair to the room, and opt for a gender-neutral color scheme rather than the stereotypical blue or pink.
- Provide communication tools:A phone, computer, tablet, or access to other means of easy communication enables children to stay in touch with family and friends. Of course, communicate with agency social workers or county social workers to confirm whether the child in foster care is allowed to have electronics or if there are any limitations.
- Keep things fair: Whether the other children are biologically yours or from foster care, try to make their rooms equal, especially if they’re around the same age, to prevent feelings of favoritism or neglect. If one child has a TV in their room, add a TV to the new child’s bedroom.
- Allow children to decorate: You want to give the child a chance to make the room theirs by adding their own touch to it. That’ll help make the transition easier for them.
Preparing the Rest of Your Home
Creating a comfortable, warm, and inviting environment in your home will benefit foster children, helping them feel safer and wanted.
Explore the ideas and tips to ensure a welcoming atmosphere throughout the house below.
Clean and Organize Your House
While redecorating your home before a foster child arrives is not necessary, it is important that you take the time to tidy up. A messy and cluttered house might create an impression that they’re walking into disorder and chaos, which could cause them to feel unsafe. They’re more likely to feel comfortable in a home that looks neat and organized.
You want the child who is joining you to feel like it’s okay to spend time in the living areas outside of their bedroom. Consider these tips:
- Declutter and donate: Make time to declutter each room and create more space around your home. Remove any objects that aren’t serving any purpose and won’t be missed if they’re donated or stored away.
- Prioritize child-friendly organization: Organize your home in a way that will easily make sense to the child. Enabling them to find things that they’re looking for on their own will help promote a sense of independence.
- Be flexible: Allocating places for items helps to keep your interiors neat — yet avoid over-organizing your home. Being flexible about where children return items helps them feel at ease with using items around the space.
These changes create a sense that the child is a full-fledged member of the house, not a guest who has to ask for permission or the whereabouts of everything before they can use it.
Lock Away Medications, Chemicals, and Harmful Items
As you know, children can sometimes be a danger to themselves. You need to take necessary precautions to ensure their safety and health are protected.
Lock away everything from medications to your cleaning supplies so that the child in your care won’t be able to reach it and harm themselves. Pay a visit to your local hardware store and get a padlock, preferably with a number or combination lock, so you don’t have to worry about losing your keys.
Some examples of items you have to securely lock up include:
- Plant food, garden, and outdoor maintenance products.
- Brightly colored soaps and toiletries.
- Bleach, laundry detergent, washing liquids, and other cleaning products.
- Painkillers, allergy tablets, and other medication.
- Scissors, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, and antibiotic ointments.
Items like these can pose a real danger when left out and about, especially to younger children who are often inquisitive. The last thing you want is for the child under your care to be involved in potentially threatening accidents while exploring your home unsupervised.
Secure any Sentimental Items
It’s a good idea to pack away any fragile or breakable items that are of sentimental value and store them securely to prevent them from being damaged.
Many of the kids in foster care come from difficult backgrounds and may be prone to destroying objects they find lying around.
Keep in mind that during the adjustment stage of foster care, there will be times when tensions run high, and things may accidentally be destroyed or broken in the process. If there’s anything that’s too precious for you to lose, do yourself a favor and put it away ahead of time.
Your home should be a homely and welcoming space where children are free and encouraged to play without fear of causing damage to property or breaking something.
Essentials to Buy
Depending on their situation, your foster child may not have a lot of belongings. Prepare these basic supplies to make the transition into your home easier.
Personal Hygiene
Establishing good personal hygiene is essential for physical and mental health. Help your foster child maintain healthy habits from the onset by purchasing the following sanitation products:
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Soap, shampoo, deodorant, and body lotion
- Tissue paper and face wipes
- Other hygiene products like tampons and pads will also come in handy.
In addition to these toiletries, it’s a good idea to provide some comfy pajamas and clothing in the appropriate size. Keep in mind the child’s age, gender and race to help guide your product choices. You can always start with the essentials and ask the child what supplies they need or prefer once they arrive.
Toys
Put together some toys, games, and books for the child to serve as a welcome distraction until you can go shopping for stuff that is more suited to their tastes. Make sure whatever you get is age-appropriate.
Food
With a child joining your home, you’re going to have more mouths to feed. You can gain a better idea as to what the child likes to eat once they arrive, but in the meantime, it’s a good idea to stock up on some basics.
Try to equip your fridge and cupboards with items such as milk, bread, and a variety of snacks, so the child can quickly whip up something when they get hungry. In addition, you should ask the social worker about any dietary preferences or restrictions. For example, they may follow a vegetarian lifestyle or have a serious food allergy you’ll need to accommodate.
Once they’ve settled into your home, you can invite the child to suggest food they enjoy. Making an effort to prepare their favorite meal or cook a culturally-inspired dish is a good way to bond with them.
Learn as Much as You Can About Your Foster Child
If the situation allows it, try to learn about the background of the child who you will be caring for. Ask your social worker questions to gather information on the child. Try to go beyond just asking about their gender, age, or behavioral issues — instead, enquire about their interests, character, and family situation.
When you have an idea of what the child is like before they come to live with you, you’ll be more equipped to deal with them when they arrive and be able to prepare your home to suit them. Knowing these details about them will also go a long way in helping you find a common link, bond with the child, and avoid potential triggers that could cause problems when they move in. It can also serve as a sign to the child that you’re truly committed to caring for them and make it easier for them to open up to you.
Get Ready to Welcome a Foster Child With KFA
Preparing your home for foster care can help create a great first impression and a welcoming, comfortable, and reassuring atmosphere for your foster child. The physical environment will play a huge role in smoothing the transition as well as cultivating trust, communication, stability, and successful relationships in the home.
Whether the placement lasts a few days, weeks, months, or leads to a forever family, the child’s experience in your home can have a significant impact on their life. The Knotts Family Agency is happy to help and support you every step of the way as you provide a safe, secure, and positive foster home for a child in need.
For more information on how to get into fostering, contact us online or call us at 909-324-3983.
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- Food and Nutrition Requirements in Foster Care
- Guiding Foster Children on Their Journey to School: Navigating Safety and Independence
- Navigating Child Supervision and Daycare in Foster Care: Understanding Your Responsibilities
- Understanding Monitored Family Visits in Foster Care
