Preparing your Spare Bedroom for a Foster Child

Starting your journey as a Foster Carer can be fun, exciting, and just a little bit scary! Fostering is so varied; you might be welcoming a child of any age or gender. And as we all know, what one child likes, another most definitely doesn’t!

Preparing your spare room for fostering is so important. You of course want any child who is placed with you to feel at home and comfortable right from the start. The room will be their space in your home, so getting it right for them should be a priority.

So, with that in mind, what do you need to do to prepare your spare bedroom for the arrival of a foster child?

Colour Scheme

You may not know what gender your next foster child will be, so having a neutral theme to your décor is vital to make whoever steps through the door feel welcome. Having everything an eggshell green or light yellow, for example, may be the best option. Gender neutral schemes allow for any foster child to feel welcome and at home in a space; without accidentally excluding a child who may feel uncomfortable in a gendered room.

Equally, you may opt to choose a colour scheme with the child themselves, especially if they have been placed with you long term. Personalising their bedroom can be a great way of bonding, and letting them know that this is their home as much as yours.

Give them space for their things

Of course, filling a space full of toys, books and other fun things is a good way to ensure your new foster child has plenty of things to do. But you should also consider the fact that they will likely bring things that are important to them, and there should be space for these too. Whether it is a collection of rocks, a pile of random magazines or even just a small teddy, leaving room for their own sentimental items is the only way to ensure the child begins to feel like this new bedroom space is ‘theirs’.

Often, a small notice board or blank wall is a great way to encourage them to display certificates, photos of special people and so on. This lets them know that it’s ok to have pictures of their family, helping them to feel accepted and safe in the home while promoting their identity and sense of self.

Don’t overwhelm

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a foster parent is to overwhelm your foster child. In many cases, the child will not want a big pile of toys and other knick-knacks crowding them upon arrival. Though a generous thought, it can often feel more like charity than something specifically for them. A clean, tidy, bedroom is often much more preferable in the long term.

To avoid this, create a good selection of toys, books, and games for any child to enjoy when they come to stay. But also offer any new child the option to get something specifically for themselves. That way they can enjoy the space fully and the fun of having their own special toy.

Of course, providing a loving and hospitable environment for your foster child consists of a lot more than bedroom décor. But it is a good place to start in order to ensure that any child that enters your home has the best space available for them to relax and feel safe.

Get in Touch

If you would like to get in touch with the team here at Lorimer Fostering, you can contact us by leaving your details on the form below and we will call you back. Alternatively, you can call or WhatsApp Rachael on 07938 575 738 or email her at foster@lorimerfostering.com