The age, the stage of development and the special life circumstances determine the course of the placement process.
Waiting phase
Even though the Youth Welfare Office is constantly looking for foster families, the actual placement of a foster child in your family can take some time. The Youth Welfare Office will only approach you when it believes that you are the suitable family for the foster child to be placed. During this waiting phase, the Youth Welfare Office will continue to keep in touch with you.
Getting to know you
If you have been selected as a suitable foster family in a specific individual case, the Youth Welfare Office will contact you with information about the foster child's life history. This is followed by interviews with the parents of origin and with the child. This gives you the opportunity to get to know each other. The concrete arrangement of the placement in the form of talks and contacts with the foster child depends on the age of the child and the social background.
The placement process is completed when all parties involved, especially the foster child (depending on age), are sure that the child will integrate into your family. During the process and the discussions, you will be actively supported and supervised by the Youth Welfare Office.
Do not rush into the decision. Take as much time as you need. Ask all the questions that are important to you. This is the only way to lay the foundation for a successful foster relationship.
How long the rapprochement between foster family and foster child takes depends on the age of the child and the family background. With younger children this time can be a few weeks, with older children several months.
Beginning of help
For children, entering a foster family is usually associated with fear and uncertainty. The foster children have to come to terms with new caregivers and new routines. Intensive care and the introduction of reliable daily structures, norms and rituals are therefore fundamental prerequisites for the foster child to feel comfortable in your family.
When the child is admitted to your family, a support plan is drawn up. In addition, mutual rights and obligations are agreed between you, the youth welfare office and the family of origin.