Fostering a sibling group

Where possible, it’s important to keep siblings together when they enter foster care. Here are some considerations for placing siblings in the same foster home:

Consider the impact and relationship with all household members

Before any child joins a fostering home, there should be consideration of how the child will get along with all household members, including the other children.

Some siblings struggle when living together

Ideally, all siblings would remain together when they are moved to a fostering home; however, sometimes the dynamic between siblings makes it too difficult for them to heal from their trauma, so they are separated. Contact arrangements should be in place when siblings are separated.

Shared trauma

Even though siblings lived in the same household, they are likely to have had different experiences and they process the trauma in different ways. Foster carers must be mindful that each child in sibling groups needs individual attention and care.

Some siblings need each other

For some children, their relationships with each other are the only safe and genuine loving relationships they have had with each other. Separating siblings with this type of co-dependency may cause significant harm to their emotional and mental health.

Lifelong sibling relationships

The importance of sibling relationships can be understood in the fact that sibling relationships are often the longest relationships many people have. Furthermore, positive and mutually supportive sibling relationships are particularly important for care-experienced individuals, who may not have other supportive family members.

Additional space needed in the home

Every child needs their own bed, but some siblings may be able to share a bedroom (especially if they are the same gender and have a good relationship with each other). All children need space to store their items, study, and relax.

Impact on fees and allowances

Foster carers should note that fees and allowances may be dependent on the level of the support needs of the children. Also, the fee per child for a sibling group is lower than the fee for individually placed children.

Ending the arrangement

Foster carers sometimes find themselves in the difficult situation whereby they feel that their home is well suited to one or more children in a sibling group, but perhaps other children aren’t settling well, or have a greater level of need than the foster carers can meet. Sometimes foster carers wish to give notice for one of the children in the group but wish to continue caring for others. In this situation the children’s social work will determine what is in the best interests of the children.