What are the rewards and challenges of caring?

Becoming a foster or kinship carer will affect your life and the lives of those around you.

Experienced carers recognise the personal rewards and also acknowledge the many challenges they, and their families face when caring for children and young people.

Rewards of being a carer include:

• helping children and young people to reach their potential
• helping to keep children and young people safe
• using your skills and life experiences for the benefit of others
• enhancing your own parenting skills and knowledge
• becoming a highly valued member of a caring team
• expanding your social and personal contacts.

Challenges of being a carer include:

• managing your own children’s feelings about sharing you, their home and their lives
• responding to children’s behaviours that you may not have previously experienced
• being able to say goodbye to children when they return to their families
• finding space in your life for yourself when so many demands will be made on your time and energy
• continuing on even when the impact you have on a child’s development may not be visible
• sharing the decision-making for the children placed with you.