Support your family's wellbeing during isolation

Here we are sharing some tips with you on how to cope with isolation during this current pandemic and how you can make sure you are looking after your family and your own wellbeing. There are things you can do to help daily life feel as manageable as possible by keeping routine and doing activities together at home.

We know that lots of information, advice and online activities are being offered to support parents & children on various platform through the coronavirus pandemic but please keep reminding yourself that you can only do your best.

Stick to your daily routine

Try to keep your daily routine going as much as possible but remember things will be different so avoid giving yourself a hard time about this. A meal planner might be helpful to structure your days, breaking up the time and giving the whole family regular opportunities to gather together. 

Fresh air & Exercise

Get some fresh air and exercise together every day – whether doing an online workout or an egg and spoon race in the garden! This is really important for wellbeing and helps to lift our mood.  The Government has permitted people to go outside only with people they live with once a day for exercise – as long as no one in the household is showing symptoms or has a condition that means they need to isolate more strictly.

Stay ‘virtually’ in touch

Stay in touch with family and friends online as this is really important at the moment – and you can do this using free apps such as Whatsapp, Facetime, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts and more. You can also schedule meetings with social workers using these Apps. Please talk to your children/young people in care as well as your birth children about online safety in advance. 

Make a boredom (lucky dip) jar?

Ask the children and young people what their favourite indoor activities are and use them to make a lucky dip jar. Write down their ideas on strips of paper and keep them in a jar, bag, bowl or hat. In moments of being bored, invite them to choose something from the jar. Activities could include crafting, dressing up (make up), baking or cooking, watching their favourite film or playing a video or board game with you.

Supporting Young People

  • Parents should avoid checking news all the time or be on their phone when not needed.  It is enough to check the news once or twice a day for important updates and focus on doing positive stuff together the rest of the time. 
  • Do activities together that help you bond, show an interest in the young person’s hobbies and consider choosing a new skill to learn together and make the most of the opportunity for family time.
  • Listen to the young person and find out what will help them as an individual.
  • Especially with teenagers, respect your their boundaries. Find ways to connect and spend time together without being on top of each other 24/7. If they don’t feel like talking, let them know you’re there and wait until they’re ready.
  • Be patient with each other.

Ref. https://youngminds.org.uk


Any questions? Please feel free to contact us on: 020 8263 6260 or send an email to info@shiningstarsfostering.com

Looking after yourself

As foster carer/parents, you will often be thinking about the children’s wellbeing and feelings first but remember you are just as important. This is a very difficult and challenging situation for everyone, and you need to find ways to take care of yourself so that you can continue supporting your children in care as well as you birth children.

Here’s our advice for looking after yourself:

It’s okay to feel worried. We are living in uncertain times and it is completely normal to feel stressed and anxious – so try not to put pressure on yourself to feel normal.

Try to keep a daily routine going as much as you can. It might help to create a plan for your day each morning with the whole family – so that you can fit school work, family time, exercise, meals and me-time in. But don’t be too hard on yourself as well as on other family members when the routine is difficult to stick to and things are different – all of our routines have changed and this is unavoidable. 

Try not to compare yourself to what other families are doing or the way they’re handling this. We’re all doing our best and we’re coping with different stresses and situations.

Take time out for yourself even though it might be difficult to find time for yourself at the moment – but it is important that you do something each day that you enjoy. It might be watching that Netflix series, having a soak in the bath, doing some exercise or reading a book. Whatever it is, make sure you take some time for yourself.

Please keep checking our website! More information coming soon.

What do Children in our care say?

What if I have a problem or I am sad?

If you are worried, frightened or sad you must tell someone. There are lots of ways  you can tell people and lots of people you can tell about what ever is bothering you.

You can tell adults you trust

Foster Carer

Your Social Worker

Supervising Social Worker

Family or Friend

Teacher

Children/Young People Helplines

Ofsted 0300 123 1231 

Childline 0800 1111

Commissioner for Children
020 7783 8330

Complaints Officer at Local Authority

Are you in immediate danger?

If you or a friend is in immediate danger or need urgent help, call 999

Shining Stars Fostering is available 24/7 for you. Feel free to contact us on 020 8263 6260

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SSFA has a range Policies and Procedures concerning Social Work Practice, HR and Finance which are used to guide staff and for tendering and commissioning purposes.  If any of the issues that are not covered please do contact your supervising social worker or our registered manager who will guide you to the appropriate policy.  Shining Stars Fostering Agency Tri-X policies