On average, 30 – 40% of the referrals received for children needing foster care each month are for children requiring a placement alongside one of their siblings. Unfortunately, placements for siblings are often harder to find which results in siblings being separated at a time when they are already experiencing the loss of a parent or care giver.
Whilst caring for multiple children can prove more demanding, the rewards of keeping siblings together can be significant for foster carers that have the capacity for this.
To be able to care for siblings foster carers will need both the physical and emotional space. In terms of physical space, this often means having two spare bedrooms available for fostering, although younger siblings of the same gender may be able to share a bedroom if this is assessed as appropriate. Emotionally siblings are still individual children who come with their own needs and experiences and these have to be considered by foster carers when planning how best to care for the children.
