Choosing to foster a sibling group is one of the most rewarding types of fostering that you can do. This helps keep siblings together who might otherwise be separated in care, and it’s been proven that if it’s in their best interests to do so, keeping brothers and sisters together can be widely beneficial for them.
If you’re thinking about fostering siblings in the West Midlands but aren’t sure where to start, Clifford House is here to aid you on your journey. You can offer them the security that they need in an uncertain time, and ensure that they maintain their connection with each other.
We’re going to take a closer look at why it’s beneficial for brothers and sisters to stay together, the support you can get from us, and everything else you’ll need to consider when it comes to fostering siblings.
The benefits of keeping siblings together
Children who enter care have already been through a traumatic experience in being separated from everything that they know. Splitting them up from their brothers and sisters can be an added trauma to an already uncertain experience.
For some children, their siblings are the only security that they’ve ever known. Allowing them to stay together in the same home can have wonderful benefits on their development. The Children’s Commissioner found that keeping siblings together had a protective effect, which is made up of four elements:
- A strong emotional connection, with emphasis on love and joy
- How important shared experiences are, both the regular and the exceptional
- Offering each other practical and emotional support
- The enduring nature of relationships and their unconditional support
Shared experience
Staying together can ease the transition for siblings in care, as they have a shared experience that they can lean on. Only they know what the other person has been through, and this can bring them comfort in a time of change.
Having someone familiar with them when moving into their new home can bring them some consolation in what could be a scary time. This also gives them a tangible link to their past, and helps keep their connection with each other alive.
Security
It might take children some time to settle into new surroundings, particularly if these are unfamiliar to them. When siblings are kept together, this can give them a better sense of security, and make them feel like they’re safe if they’re all together.
As well as lowering any anxious feelings they may have, this can help them settle into their new home quicker than if they were separated. They will have each other to rely on for comfort and solidarity, and can reassure each other in times of change.
Supporting identity and a sense of belonging
Brothers and sisters will have shared memories of their past experiences, and a mutual understanding of their own backgrounds. Working to keep them together can help them to maintain this familial connection, and support their sense of identity. This can also help them feel like they belong where they are – with each other.
Do siblings stay together in foster care?
We always try to keep siblings together where possible, as we feel this helps to support their wellbeing. However, this isn’t always the case for siblings that enter care. Research by the Children’s Commissioner in 2023 estimated that around 37% of children with a sibling were separated once they entered care.
This research also showed that children were more likely to be split up from their siblings if they were from a larger sibling group, if they entered care at an older age, or were going into a children’s home or semi-independent accommodation. Children with a disability were also more likely to be separated from their siblings.
For some children who were separated from their brothers and sisters, this sometimes meant that they weren’t able to maintain their familial connection with each other. So for these children who aren’t able to stay together in a home, it’s very important that they’re supported to see each other through family time to maintain their relationship with each other.
It’s also crucial to note that sometimes it’s in a child’s best interests to be moved to a different home to their siblings. This could be for a variety of reasons, but it will always be because this is what is best for them.
What percentage of siblings stay together in foster care?
It’s estimated that of the 20,000 children in care who have a sibling, roughly 63% of these are able to stay together in foster care. For those 37% who aren’t able to live together for whatever reason, it’s important that they’re able to maintain their familial connection with their siblings if it’s safe to do so.
One of the main reasons that siblings may not be able to stay together is because of a lack of suitable accommodation, such as enough rooms in a home for every sibling. If fostering siblings is one of the types of fostering that you would like to support, and you have the spare rooms to do so, Clifford House are here to help you make a difference in a child’s life.
Fostering allowances for siblings
At Clifford House, we’re passionate about supporting our foster parents and rewarding you for the hard work that you do. If fostering siblings is something that you would like to do, we can offer you a generous fostering allowance so that your hard work is recognised.
Our foster parents receive up to £25,991 per child, per year. This will depend on the ages of the children in your care, as well as your experience. Our foster parents are paid between £407.68 and £494.62 per week, per child, dependent on their ages and needs. You’ll also be entitled to tax allowances to account for the demands of fostering.
If you’ve got any questions about what you could be entitled to as a foster parent with Clifford House, give us a call on 0800 369 8515 to speak to one of our friendly advisors.
Clifford House supports you at each stage of your journey
As a small, local fostering agency, we can give you the more personalised support that you need when fostering siblings in the West Midlands. Our family-focused approach offers a number of benefits to both new and experienced foster parents, and we love getting to know more about you and your family personally.
Some of our support includes:
- A 24/7 helpline – you can reach us at any time of the day or night.
- Professional support – at Clifford House, you’ll have access to a range of professionals, including education specialists and therapists.
- Supervising social worker – you’ll have a dedicated supervising social worker with a realistic case load.
- Mentoring scheme – we’ll connect you with other foster parents so you can build up your support network and ask them for advice.
- Support groups – we offer support groups for all foster children in your home as well as for your own children, too.
Could you foster siblings in the West Midlands?
If you’re curious about opening your heart and home to a sibling group, we’re here to support you on your journey. As a local agency based in the West Midlands, we focus on a more personalised approach to fostering.
Register your interest for fostering siblings via our enquiry form, or give us a ring on 0800 369 8515 to speak to one of our friendly team members. They can answer any questions you’ve got about fostering requirements or what you’d need to consider when fostering a sibling group.
Could you be the friendly face they need to build a brighter future?