Mental Health5 Ways to Handle Anxiety with Your Foster Child

Anxiety is a common emotion in foster homes. It is one of those emotions that takes a long time to overcome and requires input from carers for a child to move forward. If you are facing the highs and lows of an anxious environment, then these five methods will help you to move forward in a positive way.

Make it a Part of Normal Conversation

One of the hardest things about anxiety is that young people who struggle with this mental health condition often try to cover it up. They are likely to not want to talk about it, and it will be difficult to get the conversation going at all. That is why, normalising these types of feelings is your top priority. Make it a part of normal conversation, and it will become an accessible concept. As long as you know the signs, you will be able to stay ahead and create a positive narrative.

Carry on Training

The training that foster carers undergo is extremely important. There will be a variety of resources available for anyone who needs support in this area, and they should be accessed with an open mind and an open heart.

Find Support Where Necessary

Support networks are vital for foster carers and the children in their homes. Every agency, such as Fostering People, works incredibly hard to provide the best input, but it is a two-way street. This means, if there is something that you need, it is your job to ask for it and seek help. Everyone needs backup from time to time, and this is a completely normal thing. Lean on your team and make it possible for you all to be on the same page at all times.

Accept the Limitations

While it is possible to live a functional life with anxiety and develop tools to combat the debilitating side effects, it is also useful to accept the limitations. Your foster child may not want to go out to that big social occasion with you, and it will be your job to recognise why. There are going to be barriers in the way, and how you handle these will determine the well-being of the child you are looking after.

Be Present

Being present is a major part of successful foster care, but what does it really mean? In simple terms, it means showing up and bringing all of your skills, empathy, and compassion to the table so that your foster child has a person they can truly depend on. Impactful ways this can come to life include:

• Creating a sustainable routine in your home
• Sticking with this routine
• Developing mutual trust wherever possible
• Working hard to listen
• Maintaining boundaries
• Noticing the warning signs of anxiety

By collaborating on these five components, foster carers are able to show up where needed and be the right kind of support.

Anxiety doesn’t have to rule the home. There are always strategies and paths forward if you work hard to find input and solutions. When an anxious child has a strong support network, they can overcome and heal.