What is Mental Health?
Mental health is the state of our internal world; it includes our thoughts, feelings and emotions. To achieve positive overall wellbeing, we must be conscious of our mental and physical health because the two are intertwined, impacting each other.
Our mental health can affect our response to stress or challenging situations. So, as a foster parent, it's crucial to monitor your mental health, use strategies to maintain it and know how to spot the signs of a decline in your mental wellbeing. By doing so, you can continue to provide a stable and nurturing home for children and young people in your care.
Can I Foster with Mental Health Problems?
Yes, fostering with mental health problems is possible.
Mental health conditions are common, with a quarter of the population experiencing them in the UK each year. Being diagnosed with a mental health condition or using medication such as anti-depressants won't necessarily prevent you from fostering.
During the assessment process, you'll have a check-up with your GP, which involves looking at your mental health. If you have a mental health condition, this will help us understand your situation better, including how you manage any symptoms.
The check-up will ensure that you have reached a level of emotional stability that enables you to provide a secure and predictable home for children and young people. It will also ensure that fostering won't negatively impact your mental health.
Foster Care and Mental Health
Those age-old sayings like ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ and ‘you need to put your oxygen mask on first’ are applicable to foster parenting. When you become a foster parent, it is easy to become so consumed with helping the child or young person that you forget to take care of yourself.
Fostering presents unique challenges and stresses you may not have experienced previously. Whether advocating for your child's education or being on the receiving end of some big emotions, it's impossible to remain untouched by these experiences. But with Orange Grove, you are never alone; we are here to support you every step of the way.
Orange Grove’s Support for Foster Parents
At Orange Grove, we understand the challenges that come with being a foster parent and the effect it can have on your mental health. But you aren’t alone; with our support and the support of other foster parents, we can help you manage the stresses that come with fostering and help you build strategies to nurture your mental wellbeing. After all, we know that well-supported foster parents can provide more effective care and achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.
The support for foster parents offered by Orange Grove:
- Dedicated Social Worker - your dedicated social worker will spend time building a relationship with you, offering advice and listening to concerns. If you need mental health support, your social worker can support and signpost you.
- Access to a local therapist – as part of our wrap-around care, you’ll have access to a local therapist whenever needed.
- Local Support Groups and Events - to help you connect with other foster parents in your area. Sharing your experiences and the ups and downs of fostering with like-minded people can relieve stress, aiding positive mental wellbeing.
- Ongoing Training - we equip you with knowledge that empowers and prepares you to navigate challenges.
- Financial Reward - Money worries can often contribute to poor mental health, but at Orange Grove, you receive a generous allowance. Check out our finance calculator to discover how much you could receive.
- Paid Respite Foster Care - we offer two weeks of paid respite foster care each year, so if you need a break to recharge, we've got you covered.
- 24/7 Helpline - We are here for you all day, every day. So, there is always someone to talk to.
Start your fostering journey here
Download our brochure and discover everything you need to know about fostering with Orange Grove.
Signs You May Need to Look at Your Mental Health
When you are in the midst of your daily life, you may not realise that your mental health is deteriorating. If you overlook your mental health, it can lead to burnout. Mental Health UK describes burnout as 'a state of physical and emotional exhaustion'.
So, the sooner you spot the signs of your mental health declining, the sooner you can act to prevent burnout. Here are some common signs that you may need to pay attention to your mental health:
- You can't sleep or are sleeping more than usual.
- You feel fatigued, even when you've had enough rest.
- You’re finding it hard to regulate your emotions; you may have outbursts of emotions, such as anger or crying.
- Your eating habits have changed. You could be struggling to eat or are eating more than usual. You may usually make healthy choices but have started eating more convenience food.
- You are overwhelmed by tasks that you usually find easy to complete.
- You feel anxious and on edge.
- You are finding it hard to enjoy the things you usually find pleasurable.
- You are finding it hard to concentrate.
If you spot any of these signs, reach out for support - use our 24/7 helpline or talk to your supervising social worker, family, friends and other foster parents. They can offer support and ensure you get additional help.
Mental Health Self-Care Tips for Foster Parents
Some things are out of your control, but having robust self-care strategies in place can help you become more resilient to the challenges and stresses of life. Here are our tips to help you look after your mental health:
- Journaling about your experiences, thoughts and feelings can help you process difficult emotions and vent frustrations. It can also help you track your mood and spot the signs of declining mental health. So, you know when to seek support or re-evaluate the management of your mental wellbeing.
- Routine helps you sleep better and reduces stress because you know what's happening next. Once you have a stellar routine, you can allocate time to the things you love without the worry that you are neglecting other tasks.
- The little things matter whether that be a hot bath with candles and music or singing at the top of your voice to your favourite song. Working small things into your routine can give you a boost every day.
- 'Variety is the spice of life', so go on holiday and create new memories with your family or have a spa day. You'll come home with a fresh perspective and a new zest for life.
- Taking up a new hobby, like playing guitar or starting a vegetable patch, is brilliant for your mental health because you are doing something for yourself whilst learning a new skill.
- Get active! Getting active doesn't mean you have to lift 20kg weights and squat a hundred times a day (unless that's something you enjoy). It's about finding a physical activity you'll be motivated to do consistently; that could be going for a jog, discovering a new gym class you enjoy or something as simple as walking around the block.
- Prioritise rest. With never-ending to-do lists and regular commitments, it can be hard to designate time to rest, but if you don't, you could experience burnout. Respite care is available if you need to take some time out to rejuvenate.
- Talk to friends and family about how you are feeling. Sharing your emotions with another can reduce their intensity and help you see things from another perspective.
- Attend support groups and events in your local area and use this time to meet other foster parents. By building relationships with people of similar circumstances, you'll have a dependable network of people who have a greater understanding of the challenges you could encounter.
- Never be afraid to ask for help; acknowledging that you need support is a strength, not a weakness. Use our 24/7 helpline or talk to your supervising social worker. Orange Grove is here to support you.
Remember, you are doing a good job! Fostering can be challenging at times, but you are showing up for your child or young person, and every step is one on the road to helping them reach their full potential.
If you are considering fostering and would like to join a family-orientated foster agency that supports foster families in nurturing children and young people, contact us today.
