The Insider’s Guide to Foster Care
What Care Leavers Need You to Know
Amy Baker author Sue Knowles author Kim Emenike author Laura Lever author Caydin Jay author Richard Hayward illustrator Sue Knowles editor Laura Lever editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publishing:18th Sep '25
£16.99
This title is due to be published on 18th September, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
A lived-experience guide to supporting young people in foster care, from authors who've been there themselves.
The ideal blend of first-hand experience and psychological theory, this essential guide shares what children and young people in care really need parents, carers and professionals to know about foster and kinship care.
Navigating foster care can be overwhelming for everyone. There are thousands of books offering professional opinions on how to be a good foster carer and provide therapeutic support for children in care, but what about asking the young people who've been there?
This essential guide brings the voices of care-experienced authors to the forefront, sharing their first-hand knowledge and advice for making a real difference. From big-picture concepts like understanding healthy relationships to more practical things like scrapbooks as physical ways to hold onto happy memories, the authors discuss what really matters to children and young people in care. They explore how their previous experiences and their carers' approaches affected the way they felt and reacted during their time in care, providing vital context for carers and professionals.
Led by personal experience, this book tells you what care-experienced young people really need you to know.
In 1999 I entered into the world of children in care through my work in a multi-agency project to provide support to the children, their foster carers and the networks surrounding them. I quickly learnt how little I knew of this world. I learned much from the children and foster carers I was supporting. They supported me in this new role more than I was supporting them. How I wish I had access to this book back then.
The contributors to this book have shared so much, opening a door into their world, and giving a voice to children growing up in foster care. The book is addressed to foster carers, but will be a trusted guide for many others, social workers, teachers, supporters and the children themselves.
This book is a must read for all those involved with the foster care system and for others who would like to understand more of what the children experience and what they need. The last word in the book goes to another Kim who says: 'Join us in helping to 'fix' this broken system by showing love and care to young people in foster care.' In reading this book you will have a guide as to how to show this love and care.
A thoughtful and refreshing read, highlighting the importance of truly listening to care-experienced young people. This valuable resource will better equip us to support their journeys, making it essential reading for all current and aspiring foster carers. -- Adrienne Cronin, team manager at Action for Children
Those who have contributed to this book are truly making a difference. You need to get your hands on this book if you are a foster carer or if you're working with care-experienced young people. The learning in this book in phenomenal. -- Dave Linton * Madl
ISBN: 9781805013495
Dimensions: 152mm x 228mm x 26mm
Weight: 220g
176 pages