Foster Care FAQs

What qualities make a good foster carer?

The main qualities that make an effective foster carer are a genuine interest in children and young people and a focus on the child’s best interests. Other strong attributes include:

  • empathy and good listening skills
  • perseverance when things get tough
  • flexibility and adaptability
  • patience and humour
  • stability and consistency in your personal and family life
  • an ability to guide and discipline children without the use of physical punishment
  • being able to look after yourself emotionally and staying well
  • a willingness to work with other people in the child’s life such as birth parents and caseworkers
  • a willingness to support the child to develop a sense of identity that includes their culture, language and religion, where appropriate.

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