When looking at the UK’s general population, we can see that 80% of the population has at least one sibling. Since children taken into care by local authorities come from a cross section of the general population, it is reasonable to anticipate that many of them will be taken into care in a sibling group.
Across the UK, 86% of fostering services need carers for sibling groups, proving the need for foster families who have the space and the ability to take in a small family of siblings. Think that could be you?
Fostering a sibling group allows them to stay together. This allows them to remain in close contact with their family, but also allows them to share past experiences. If their past has been traumatic, they can find comfort in each other as they have a greater understanding of what they have been through together.
In some cases, siblings can be separated – the main cause of siblings being split up is the shortage of foster carers available. However, in rarer cases, siblings can be separated due to posing risk to one another, or if a sibling has special needs and needs extra support.
Despite this, the consensus generally remains that it is in both children’s best interests for siblings to be fostered together. Siblings can provide a familiarity to a new foster home – which can be a daunting task. On top of this, siblings can provide emotional support to each other as foster children seldom find other individuals they can relate to, especially if they have just encountered a traumatic experience. This is why it is highly recommended that siblings are fostered together.
One foster carer explained the advantages of fostering siblings.
“ fostering siblings has its challenges, but the rewards of seeing a sibling group kept together, thriving, making memories gives you a huge sense of satisfaction.”
