Dealing with COVID-19 can be difficult for anyone due to the sudden changes in day to day life. For foster children who have already undergone an enormous amount of instability, having to deal with school closures and more can be very devastating. If you are interested in helping foster children get through these times, here are ways that you can.
Communicate With the Children
One of the best ways to help foster children deal with COVID-19 is by first and foremost making sure they understand what is going on. Even if they are too young to fully understand what the pandemic entails, it is still essential that they know what to expect and why.
Reinforce Consistency
With so much uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, foster children must have a routine whenever possible. You can do this by doing daily activities, such as mealtime, and setting a schedule. Scheduling family time is also a great way to help reinforce security in children while encouraging bonding.
Outdoor Visits
Not only is being outside a great way for the children to get some fresh air, but it can also help keep everyone safe against COVID. Being outside allows for proper social distancing, while the open-air is an excellent way to help prevent the virus’s communal spread.
Alternative to In-person Visits
At some point, having visitors at the foster home might not be the safest option. In this case, you can try scheduling video calls to maintain the familial relationships outside of the facility. Also, allowing the children to view or even draw pictures of their family is a great way to help support those bonds even when a visit isn’t possible.
Maintaining an everyday life can be rather tricky during times that are quite abnormal and new to everyone. Although very resilient, children can benefit a great deal from stability; therefore, having that disrupted can be challenging. Try to enlist extra help with the children, especially if you notice signs of stress. In the meantime, assure them that things will be okay and discuss the benefits of everyone playing their part and abiding by social distancing.