Advice and support for foster children in the Börde district

The foster care system in the Börde district offers children who cannot grow up in their family of origin a new perspective. Comprehensive advice and support is essential for foster families, voluntary guardians and all those involved in the care and support of these children. The district of Börde sees itself as a reliable partner and companion who is on hand to help with challenges, questions and decision-making processes.

Children and young people who live in foster families or are under guardianship often bring stressful experiences with them. These can have an impact on their behavior, development and well-being. Foster parents, standby foster families and guardians are faced with the task of providing these young people with support and guidance. Professional advice helps them to cope better with these challenges and to focus on the children's well-being.

Foster families are a mainstay of the foster care system. The district of Börde offers a wide range of support services so that they can fulfill their important task:

1. individual counseling

Foster parents are accompanied by experienced specialists who are available to answer questions and solve problems. Topics can include:

• Dealing with traumatized children,
• Promoting emotional and social development,
• Conflicts in everyday family life,
• Cooperation with the family of origin.

2 Preparation and training

Before taking in a foster child, foster parents receive comprehensive preparation. In training courses, they are prepared for possible challenges and the special features of caring for foster children. Topics include:

• Developmental psychology,
• legal principles,
• bonding and parenting.

3. ongoing support

Even after taking in a child, foster families are not on their own. Regular counseling sessions and visits by the youth welfare office ensure that problems are identified at an early stage and solutions are found together.

4. networks and exchange

The district of Börde promotes exchange between foster families. Regular meetings and events offer the opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other.

On-call care is often associated with special challenges, as children and young people are admitted in acute crisis situations. The Börde district therefore offers these families special support:

• Round-the-clock advice: on-call foster families can contact the youth welfare office at any time if they have urgent questions or problems.
• Quick solutions to problems: In the event of unexpected challenges, suitable solutions are sought quickly, whether through therapeutic support or referral to specialist agencies.
• Financial support: In addition to the care allowance, special needs are taken into account individually to ensure that the children are cared for.

Volunteer guardians take on an important and demanding task. The district of Börde offers them comprehensive support so that they can fulfill their responsibilities:

• Professional advice: guardians can contact the youth welfare office at any time with legal or organizational questions.
• Training courses: Before taking on a guardianship and also during the job, regular training is offered on relevant topics, e.g. children's rights, dealing with authorities or conflict resolution.
• Exchange opportunities: Guardians have the opportunity to network with other volunteers and learn from each other.
• Compensation for expenses: Volunteer guardians receive financial reimbursement for their work to offset additional costs.

Children and young people living in foster families have often had difficult experiences that can have an impact on their development. If necessary, the district of Börde arranges therapeutic or educational assistance to provide targeted support for the children. This includes:

• Trauma therapy: support in processing stressful experiences.
• Learning support: help with school challenges.
• Socio-educational counseling: Promotion of social skills and conflict resolution.

The district of Börde supports foster families and guardians not only with advice, but also financially. In addition to the foster care allowance, additional benefits can be applied for, e.g:

• Support for special occasions such as school trips,
• Grants for medical or therapeutic measures,
• assistance with extraordinary expenses.