5 Must Have Foster Carer Qualities
Patience
How long does it take to process trauma? How do you undo years and years of neglect and fear? There is no timeframe. Children will develop at their own speed. They simply need foster carers that will walk alongside them through the process and have realistic expectations as to how long and how hard it will be.
Resilience
Much like patience, resilient people are those that can process the most stressful and challenging situations and yet still continue resolute that they will make that long term difference for that child. It is too easy for foster carers to give up on children. Resilience is key.
Love
We can all too often take love for granted but many children grow up with a distinct lack of love. Foster carers need that capacity to love children, if possible unconditionally. Love is not always automatic and is not always accepted by the child anyway. But if you have a capacity for love then you may be showing a child a world of warmth that they may never have experienced before.
Passion / Attitude
Call it passion, call it attitude, if you are passionate about something, be it humanity, children in general, or children neglected abused and suffering, then you are likely to have the drive to put your interests aside and do all that you can for that child, enjoying the good times and staying resolute during the more challenging times.
Good Communication
Any child, whatever their age, needs someone to communicate with, someone to help them process their past and lead them towards their future. Communication comes in many forms. What works for one child may not work for another. Foster carers will be adept at listening and talking, knowing when to talk, when to stop and when simply to hug.