June 2021Vol. 22, No. 6Tips for Foster Parents Preparing for Reunification

The usual primary goal and most common outcome of foster care is family reunification in a safe and stable environment. Although foster parents know that foster care is a temporary situation that can last anywhere from only a few days or weeks to a couple of years, saying goodbye to a child, even to reunification, is not easy. An AdoptUSKids blog post seeks to ease this transition with six tips for foster parents:  

• Communicate often with your caseworker and participate in case planning, as appropriate, to help mitigate the anxiety of any unknowns and better plan for your and your child's futures.
• Prepare for the transition by helping your child create a lifebook that includes milestones and happy events that he or she can keep as a reminder of the time you shared together.
• Don't think of reunification as an end. If possible, keep communication with the birth family open and explore the possibility of maintaining your connection with the child as a friend and/or mentor.
• Take time to grieve and know that feelings of loss for a child you've fostered is natural.
• Find support with the help of your caseworker and other families who understand this particular challenge of being a foster parent.
• Take comfort knowing that you helped make a positive difference in a child's life.

The post, "6 Tips for Foster Parents Preparing for Reunification," is available on the AdoptUSKids blog.