Foster families encounter a variety of challenges. Not only do they need to understand the needs of their foster child, but they also need to deal with the psychological, emotional, and financial stresses that come with fostering. With this in mind, it can be difficult to find appropriate resources that are specifically tailored to the needs of foster families.
Fortunately, there are a number of books that explicitly address the challenges and needs of foster families. From guidebooks to memoirs, there are many books that can provide both practical and emotional support – no matter where you are in your foster care adventure. In this article, we would like to share 5 recommended books for foster families that can help you better understand and successfully navigate your foster parenting journey.
5 Recommended Books for Foster Families
It is challenging to raise children who have been traumatized. Foster parents need support and information to deal with the emotional burdens. One way to find this help is to read books by experts in the field. In this article, we have selected five recommended books for foster families that will help you better understand your role as a foster parent.
- "Healing Hurt Children’s Souls" by Tobias Saum: This book is an excellent introduction to the world of traumatized children. Saum outlines the root causes of trauma and offers practical techniques to help children recover.
- "So Great is My Courage by Ruthard Stachowske: "Living with Children Who Have Been Traumatized" is a compelling book written by Stachowske that focuses on the lives of foster families. It offers concise, simple, and practical guidance to help foster parents improve their behavior with children.
- "Giving Children a Home by Kim Golding: Golding, an experienced child therapist and foster parent, provides valuable advice on fostering foster children’s emotional development in this book. This book is designed to help you build a positive bond with your foster children.
- "The Long Road to Freedom by Nelson Mandela: This book, written by the famous South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, is an inspiring text that shows how will and perseverance can help overcome extreme challenges. It is also a good example of what a person can achieve if they do not give up hope.
- "Childhood Years by Astrid Lindgren: This autobiographical book by Astrid Lindgren recounts her childhood and her experiences as a mother. She gives advice on what she wished her parents had done, as well as how to give love and trust to your children.
Book recommendations for foster families: "Inclusion from the beginning!" by Gerlinde Unverzagt
As a foster family, it’s important to educate yourself on how to best help children in difficult situations. A book that can help is "Inclusion from the beginning"!" by Gerlinde Unverzagt. The book deals with the topic of inclusion and how to grow up inclusive.
There are many aspects covered in this book, such as the meaning of inclusion, the challenges and opportunities involved, and tips and advice for foster families to create an inclusive environment. A focus is on the graphic design, because especially pictures and illustrations can help to make these complex topics more understandable.
The book also offers real-world examples and testimonials that illustrate the concept described and make it actionable. Here’s how it can help foster families better understand their role as an inclusion family and provide assistance in implementing it.
"Inclusion from the start!" is a recommended book for all foster families who are interested in the topic of inclusion and want to reflect and optimize their values and basic assumptions with regard to inclusion.
- Conclusion: Anyone who wants to deal with the topic of inclusion as a foster family and receive reports of experiences as well as tips and advice is well advised with this book. The subject matter is conveyed in an understandable and practical manner, so that it is easy to implement the content.
5 Recommended Books for Foster Families
It is often challenging for foster families to understand and support children from difficult family backgrounds. The book "Strong Children Need Strong Parents" by Detlef Trabert can help, as it offers practical tips and suggestions for dealing with traumatized children.
Another recommended book is "From Understanding to Comprehension" by Gudrun Kaspareit. It shows the importance of taking the child’s perspective and including them in the decision-making process to build a positive relationship.
"I want to sleep with you!" by Sarah Bosse is a book written from the perspective of a foster child and gives an insight into their thoughts and feelings. It illustrates the challenges foster children face and how foster parents can help them.
The book "Patchwork Families by Roland Weber is suitable for foster families who have to deal with more complex family situations. It offers practical support for managing conflict and integrating new family members.
Lastly "Understanding the Foster Child by Kerstin Stiefel is a book written specifically for foster parents. It helps to better understand the needs and emotions of foster children and offers valuable tips for dealing with difficult situations.
- "Strong Children Need Strong Parents by Detlef Trabert
- "From understanding to comprehension by Gudrun Kaspareit
- "I want to sleep with you!" by Sarah Bosse
- "Patchwork families" by Roland Weber
- "Understanding the foster child by Kerstin Stiefel
5 recommendable books for foster families
Christina Fischer has written an important book for teachers who teach foster children. Foster children in school – everything teachers should know" is about how to address the individual needs of foster children as a teacher. The book offers practical tips and helpful information for everyday school life with foster children.
Another recommended book for foster families is "We Belong Together" by Kim Heger. The book vividly describes how trust and attachment can be built between foster children and foster parents. It is aimed at anyone interested in the topic of foster care and offers valuable insight into the realities of foster care.
A multifaceted insight into the topic is also provided by "Foster Children in Germany" and "The Foster Child System – Handbook for Accompanying Foster Care Relationships" by Frauke Greiner and Klaus Wolf. Both books describe the legal basis and give recommendations for practice. In particular, the experiences and perspectives of foster children, foster parents and birth parents are not neglected.
Last but not least is the book "Leben im Zwischenreich" by Sabine Andresen. It powerfully describes the perspectives of children growing up in the context of foster care. It also deals with the difficulties foster children face in everyday life. The book is thought-provoking and shows the potential of foster families.
- Christina Fischer: Foster children at school – everything teachers should know
- Kim Heger: We belong together
- Frauke Greiner and Klaus Wolf: Foster Children in Germany
- Frauke Greiner and Klaus Wolf: The foster care system – a handbook to accompany foster care relationships
- Sabine Andresen: Life in the intermediate realm
"Your Story Starts Here" by Matt Haig
"Your Story Starts Here" by Matt Haig is a book about life, love, and the challenges we all face. It is a story about a man named Tom who lives in a world where there are no books or stories. Tom is lucky enough to be introduced to a world of books and stories by a mysterious woman named Emma.
The book makes a wonderful gift for foster families. It provides an opportunity for foster children and their foster parents to read together and discuss the various topics covered in the book. It’s also a great way for foster kids to get inspired and discover their own creativity.
The book is very well written and features many beautiful illustrations. It’s suitable for readers of all ages and can serve as reading for both children and adults. It offers a wealth of topics relevant to foster families, such as identity, family, friendship, and acceptance.
- Identity: Tom is on a quest to find his true identity and discovers that he is worth more than he ever thought he was.
- Family: Emma and the other characters in the book provide Tom with a family and show him how important it is to have people around you who support you.
- Friendship: Tom develops friendships throughout the book and learns the importance of having friends.
- Acceptance: Tom learns that he can be accepted despite his differences and that everyone is special.
"Your Story Starts Here" is a book that can bring foster families together and help foster children feel understood and supported. It is a wonderful read that is both entertaining and inspiring. We recommend this book to all foster families who are looking for a way to read and discuss together.