In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 30 July as a day for friendship between individuals, groups, countries and cultures. International Day of Friendship promotes solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation within communities, globally. In this article we explore the importance of fostering friendships for children and young people in care.
Why is friendship important?
It doesn’t matter how old you are, friendships play an important role in your social wellbeing. They help to enhance the emotional resilience of individuals, improve brainpower and cognitive skills and reduce your risk of developing health issues. Friendships also provide people with emotional support and reduce feelings of stress and loneliness.
Fostering friendships with children
Friendships are essential in the development of children. They help young people to improve their self-esteem, advance their social skills and create a sense of belonging.
It’s not uncommon for children and young people in foster care to struggle with forming relationships with their peers. Unfortunately, many foster children have experienced some form of trauma or instability. As a result, this can make it harder for them to develop trust and relationships with others.
Despite this, foster and kinship carers can play an important role in helping young people to create friendships and enhance their social skills.
If you’re a carer and want to help a young person in your care to establish healthy, positive friendships with others, here are some ways that you can do that.
Encourage them to participate in group activities
As a carer, you can help young people to engage with and build friendships with their peers by supporting their interests. For instance, if they like football or want to take part in music classes, this could be a great opportunity for them to explore their interests and engage with other young people of their age group. Try to understand what they like and support them in exploring that. It’s important that you do not push them and let them explore their interests at their own pace.
Encourage them to talk to other children
It’s not uncommon for young people to be quiet. Especially foster children. If your foster child is showing signs of reservation to others and young people of their age, it’s important to remind them that it’s okay to feel nervous. Don’t push them to do things that are outside of their comfort zone, like socialising. However, you could teach them how to make small talk and slowly increase their confidence to socialise with others.
Organise a playdate
A great way to encourage the fostering of friendships with others is by organising playdates. If you have an anxious child, maybe start with organising a playdate with one child at a time and build them up to be able to socialise in group settings.
Another important tip for playdates is to supervise your child, but never interfere (unless you need to).
Model friendly behaviour
Children and young people tend to model the actions and behaviours of adults. Therefore, it’s important to demonstrate respectful actions towards others and greet people in a friendly and conversational manner.
Be there for them
Sometimes children need a listening ear. Make sure that they know that you are there to listen to them whenever they need. They might be going through something and by listening you can show them your support. You may also be able to offer them some advice.
More resources and support
For more resources and support on how you can help children in care to navigate life and challenges, click here to read our other blogs. We explore a range of topics including preparing for school, how you can make a difference to the lives of kids in care, helping children connect to culture and more.