Lucy Stevens - 14th December 2020
How to manage Christmas when you foster.
Fostering the Christmas Spirit…
Children all over the world love Christmas. The lights that transform the usually dull, dark streets, the houses lit up, the decorated tree, the jangle of Christmas tunes. The magic of an empty stocking on Christmas Eve that will be bulging by morning. Feeling loved and safe in the heart of a family who is in celebratory mood. But for many children living in foster care, Christmas is a really difficult time.
In the bleak mid-winter
For young people in foster care, the traditions that so define this time of year can act as triggers for children who have had adverse childhood experiences. These triggers could be anything from the sight and smell of alcohol, to loud music or noises, laughter and booming voices. Sensorial experiences like these can remind children of previous abuse or neglect or of traumatic events that have happened at this time of year.
Equally, as the TV belches out images of Christmas being about family, happy, cosy households, children are faced with the enormity of their loss or the contrast of their own situation. This can lead to feelings of anger, frustration and resentment.
Most children who have experienced adverse childhood events will experience some form of stress response to this in the long term. They may find it hard to regulate their emotions and find themselves in constant fight, flight or freeze mode. The triggers, memories and sense of loss that Christmas can bring will often force these coping strategies to the fore. For foster carers this can make Christmas very tricky indeed.
When you foster, Christmas bustles in hand-in-hand with another C word, Contact. Contact between children and their birth families can be complex for both children and carers at the best of times. Young people need a good deal of support to manage family contact, the emotions it can throw up and the repercussions afterwards. Much family contact is positive and is in the best interests of the child yet nonetheless it can serve as a reminder of what is lost or not yet possible. This year, with the restrictions introduced as a result of Covid, physical meetings may not be possible at all or will certainly require good planning.
Fostering the Christmas spirit. How can I support my child?
Good fostering is always child-led. Every family has their own, unique Christmas traditions and children will come to Christmas with their own expectations and schemas. Here’s how to foster the Christmas spirit and support your child.
- Talk to your child
Try to understand what Christmas is/was like for them at home, if appropriate. Do this sensitively and choose your moment well. This could help you contextualise and manage any emotional fallout. It may also help you to predict some triggers.
- Involve your child
Could you introduce new traditions? Are there things your child would want included on the day? It’s important at this time of year that children and young people feel they have some control over what happens.
- Manage expectations
Talk about what will happen on the day and keep it simple. Christmas can be overwhelming and over-stimulating and knowing what to expect can really help. The temptation can be to try and create “the best Christmas ever” but this can put inordinate pressure on the child and on carers.
- Create a calm space
For children who experience stress responses over the period, it can really help to think about sensory overload and how to “calm the mind.” Could you use more soft lighting? Introduce aromatherapy? Invest in soft, cosy blankets. Could you introduce quiet time into the celebrations?
- Grounding
For those who may dissociate or go into “freeze” mode, you might want to consider activities to ground children and connect them to the moment. Christmas actually offers a great opportunity here to do those activities which help such as crafts, cooking or writing. These activities also enable children to contribute to Christmas in a tangible and visible way.
- Be flexible
Flexibility is important when fostering, whether this is around contact, activities or running order on the day, maintaining flexibility will help give the period the best chance of success.
- Be realistic
Setting expectations too high can leave everyone feeling disappointed by the reality of Christmas. It is ok to keep things low-key. Equally, it is normal to see tantrums and meltdowns. Family life does not necessarily know it’s Christmas! Go easy on yourselves.
- Ask for support
If you are struggling and need help or advice, seek out support. This could be from your support network but perhaps more importantly from your supervising social worker, who will be able to offer ideas and a listening ear.
How do Eastern Fostering Services support carers at Christmas?
We know that Christmas can be a really challenging time for foster carers and that often you enter it with some trepidation. We spend a good deal of time thinking about how we best support our families at this time.
- 24/7 phone support
There will always be someone on the end of the phone to give you guidance and to help with any problems or concerns. Because we are a small team we all know our carers and children very well so you will never need to relay your life history to us in the midst of a crisis. Sometimes you just need a friendly voice and a bit of reassurance and we can offer that whenever it is needed. You can also get in touch with us on Facebook. - We spend time with carers and children
We always take time to visit carers and to spend time with the children and young people they care for. In the run up to Christmas, we have been doing even more of this, often creatively at the moment! Children and young people can also contact us over the period. - Training
Lots of the techniques that carers will have to draw on over Christmas are covered in the training that we offer. Understanding what is driving behaviour and how best to tackle it and de-escalate helps carers enter the season with confidence and reassurance. During these times, we have been offering a wide range of training on these subjects via our online training hub. - Festive treats
A small thing maybe, but we like to give our carers and the children a treat over Christmas. We want them all to know they are loved, valued and greatly appreciated.
If you would like more information on Eastern Fostering services, there is lots of useful information on our website. If you are already a foster carer and are looking to transfer, do get in touch.
Eastern Fostering Services - The small agency with a strong family feel
Tags: christmas, covid fostering, fostering Essex, fostering service, fostering support
