Fostering teenagers
Fostering teenagers can often be less challenging than caring for younger children as they're more independent.
Teenage years can be tough, and often create feelings of insecurity, loneliness and challenges in being understood. For a teenager in foster care, these feelings can be heightened and they can be left feeling scared and vulnerable.
Sadly, there’s a significant number of teenagers in care who urgently need a foster family to support them through this crucial stage of their life.
While some people may feel anxious about fostering a teenager, we find that caring for teenagers can often be easier than caring for younger children. For example, teenagers;
- Are usually in full-time education
- Are generally more independent
- Are able to care for themselves better on a practical level
- Require a lot less physically demanding care and supervision
Who’s most suited to foster teenagers?
There’s no single person who’s most suitable for fostering a teenager. However, you'll need to be patient, nurturing, reliable, trustworthy and committed to guiding and supporting the young person through adolescence.
It helps if you have had experience of caring for teenagers, either through your own family or through work, however, we offer full training and support to help you care for them.
The UK needs more foster parents for teens
As a foster parent, you’ll be helping to shape the future of a vulnerable young person in need of guidance and security – the positive impact you can have on them is tremendous.
Some of the ways you’ll support them include;
- Inspiring them to engage and achieve in education
- Teach them some important and essential life skills
- Helping them to understand and manage their emotions and worries
- Encouraging them to enjoy positive social opportunities
- Supporting them to maintain positive contact with their birth family
- Helping them to grow in confidence and develop skills for life as an adult
Fostering teenagers with trauma
Sadly, the majority of young people in foster care will have been exposed to at least one significant adverse experience early in life, with the main causes of trauma in fostered teens being due to abuse and neglect.
With ISP Fostering we ensure you have the right tools to help our young people manage and understand their emotions.
FOSTERING ALLOWANCES
When you join ISP, you’ll receive a weekly fostering allowance when a young person is placed with you – from £524 - £664 per week, depending on your experience and area.
This fee comprises of two elements;
- A child allowance to cover all expenditure in relation to the child in your care
- A foster parent fee to reward you for undertaking the fostering task
You’ll also receive a holiday and summer activity allowance to encourage enriching life experiences for young people in foster care.
Other types of fostering
There are a number of different types of foster care placements, including:
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