Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Siblings




Many children in the foster care system have siblings. Angels Foster Care works specifically with very young children, but we often see sibling groups that fall within our age range of Zero- Five. The primary goal is to  keep siblings together whenever possible. However, the devastating truth is that this is difficult. There aren't many homes that are open, or able, to take sibling groups. These children often wait longer in shelter care situations or eventually must be placed in separate homes. It always breaks our hearts when we  have to  turn down a sibling group or see them split up. 




Granted, we know taking in two or three children is obviously twice or three times as hard as taking in one! It isn't for everyone, and that is OK. Accepting the placement of multiple children under the age of five instantly creates a very busy house. It is also requires adequate bedroom space and an extra dose of patience! On the flip side, there can be some unique perks too. Often times siblings are a tremendous source of comfort to one another during times of uncertainty. This can ease the transition into a new home. Also, there is an instant playmate- no outside arrangements required for a play date :) More than anything, think about the tremendous blessing it is for children to be able to keep their bond in tact and continue to grow their relationship together.



For more information on becoming a foster parent to a sibling group, please contact Angels Foster Care. Click here to visit our website and learn more about our program and requirements to become an Angels Foster Parent.