The importance of fostering sibling groups

The importance of fostering sibling groups

Siblings play a unique and vital role in a child’s life, providing emotional support, stability, and a sense of belonging. For children in care, maintaining these sibling bonds can be crucial for their wellbeing and development. Unfortunately, many siblings in foster care are separated due to a lack of suitable placements, leaving children without the comfort of their closest family connections.

Siblings being separated in care

Across the UK, around one in three children in care are separated from their brothers and sisters. This can happen for several reasons, including:

• Limited availability of foster carers with enough space.

• Differing needs or ages that make joint placement challenging.

• Practical constraints such as location or school arrangements.

Separation can be emotionally devastating for children, increasing feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and loss. Keeping siblings together helps provide stability and continuity during what is often a turbulent period in a child’s life.

Bedrooms for siblings

One of the biggest challenges in fostering siblings is having enough space in your home. It is mandated that every child over the age of three has their own bedroom, although exceptions can be made if a room is large enough for siblings to share.

• Younger siblings (up to age 10) can sometimes share a bedroom, providing comfort and security in an unfamiliar environment.

• Older siblings benefit greatly from having two spare rooms, ensuring they each have their own space for privacy and personal growth.

• With two spare bedrooms, foster carers can accommodate larger sibling groups, which is critical given the national shortage of foster parents able to keep siblings together.

At Nexus Fostering, we provide extensive support and training to help foster carers manage sibling placements, ensuring children grow confidently together while having their individual needs met.

Why fostering siblings matters

When siblings stay together in foster care, they benefit in multiple ways:

• Emotional support: Siblings help each other cope with the trauma of entering care.

• Stability: Being together provides familiarity and reassurance in an unfamiliar environment.

• Stronger family identity: Maintaining sibling bonds helps children feel connected to their family history.

• Better long-term outcomes: Research shows children who remain with siblings have improved social, emotional, and educational outcomes.

Making a difference

Take Kerry and Darren, foster carers from Gloucestershire. They have welcomed sibling groups into their home and have witnessed the positive impact of keeping children together. As Kerry explains:

"It’s incredible to know I've played a part in the siblings growth and will always be part of their lives. Keeping siblings together has been such a rewarding part of fostering."

Stories like theirs show that with the right support, fostering siblings is not only possible, it’s life-changing for the children involved.

Could your home make a difference?

If you have two spare rooms in your home, you could provide a safe, loving environment for siblings in care. By welcoming sibling groups into your home, you provide stability, love, and continuity at a crucial time, helping children stay connected to the people who matter most.

Contact Nexus Fostering to learn more about fostering siblings and how you can make a life-changing difference today.