When you live with children, summer is filled with fun, adventure, and laughter. Most carers and parents are keen to take a trip during the summer to make memories, explore new areas, and break up the long school holiday. But if you are a foster carer, you may have some concerns. There may be situations when you can’t take foster children abroad or even be away for too long, and some foster children might be very anxious and worried about being away from home. If you want to enjoy a summer holiday with your foster children, here are some tips to help.
Check with Your Foster Agency
Taking foster children on holiday is usually okay as long as it doesn’t mean missing school or any important appointments, but permission must be sought from the foster agency first. You can learn more about fostering in general and get plenty of tips and advice about long-term fostering at orangegrovefostercare.co.uk too.
Stay Close to Home
Trips to far-away beautiful places with golden beaches might be tempting, but they are also costly and unnecessary. While you might want to show your foster child the world and give them the best, they may find such an expedition overwhelming and scary. Staying closer to home means that things are cheaper, that things aren’t as different and scary, and that you can head home early if needed.
Take Short Trips
Another option is taking shorter trips instead of long breaks. A night away from home can be a great adventure without being too overwhelming. Even day trips can make an excellent alternative and give you a way to see more different places.
Avoid Busy Tourist Hotspots
Busy tourist hotspots are fantastic, but they are also loud, busy, and expensive. This can be hard for foster children to cope with. Instead, look for smaller attractions that are quieter and closer to home. Even time in local playgrounds with a picnic can be a fun way to spend summer days.
Involve Them in Planning
There may be certain things that your foster child would like to do and other things that bring back bad memories they’d like to avoid. Talk to them about what they want to do and involve them in planning your holidays and day trips instead of just telling them what you are going to do.
Leave Space for Downtime
Planning helps you to save money and get organized. It also means that you can do lots of research to find suitable places to go and things to see. But too much planning can make your foster child feel trapped. Try to schedule time for relaxation and for older children to do their own thing.
A holiday can be a fantastic way for foster families to bond while enjoying some quality time together away from the stresses of home life. But it’s perfectly normal for a foster child to feel anxious or scared, so make sure you talk to them, give them time to get used to the idea and ask questions, and involve them in any planning or decision-making as much as possible.
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