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With the failure of so many modern marriages, it is hardly surprising that there are many children that find themselves in the unenviable position of not having the security that those children in a stable home environment get, and often end up in the care system.

The age range of children that need fostering is wide, and although homes are easily found for younger children, there is a need also for caring foster parents for older children as well, which is an area which many prospective foster parents do not consider, although care of these misplaced children can be every bit as rewarding.

In making the decision to become a foster parent, and before any approach is made to the authorities which can make that decision effective, potential foster parents need to assess their own personal circumstances in order to be sure of what they can offer as viable home surroundings for children at a time in need. The first thoughts should be in the following fields:

*Accommodation
*Age group of potential foster children
*How those age groups fit with existing family
*How to introduce your children to the idea of fostering
*Whether the applicant feels capable of dealing with emotional turmoil
*Whether disabled children should be considered
*Whether mixed race fostering is suitable to your family or a child

These are issues that can be discussed with the family, and often are neglected in the decision making process.

Accommodation

Many authorities have strict rules that govern whether you can in fact take in foster children if the accommodation you have in your home would mean the sharing of a room with your own children. This is important to take into account, since often children of different sexes will not be placed in a family if shared rooms are the only option available.

Age group of potential foster children.

While your home may be secure, deciding the age range that you can cope with is essential, since different ages of children will require different needs and skills. For example, a teen-aged child may come from a very insecure background and will need more expertise to cope with that background that has been the foundation of the child's life so far. Emotional issues do come into fostering children because no matter what age those children are, their background will determine their attitude to life, and teenage children's needs will be intermingled with all the usual growing up attributes that make looking after older children difficult. Their needs are

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