Abstract

My mama, she is supposed to take care of me, that is her job, not you, I guess she just don't care.'

When parents decide to foster, they are faced with many difficult decisions, dilemmas and questions. How do you navigate the daily struggles of foster parenting? How can you nurture bonds with your foster child who is angry, sad, and defiant? How can you prepare to step back when it's time to let go?

Foster Parenting Step-by-Step is a concise, realistic how-to guide to fostering that summarizes what to expect as a foster parent, and gives hope and immediate hands-on solutions. It guides you through the different stages of a fostering relationship, including common issues encountered at each age and how to tackle them. It also explains the impact of trauma on your child: how this can show itself through challenging behavior and how to respond to it.

This is a book will empower fostering parents with the skills and knowledge to be more successful in their parenting and to give the children they care for the best possible opportunities in life. It will be invaluable not just to foster parents but also to those professionals supporting foster placements.

Dr. Kalyani Gopal is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 25 years' experience specialising in working with foster parents. She regularly contributes to Foster Focus magazine offering expert advice. She is on the Lake County Child Protection and Child Fatality Team and is an international speaker on foster care and child abuse. She is President and Clinical Director of Mid-America Psychological and Counselling Services in Merrillville, Indiana and supervises five outpatient clinics in Indiana and Illinois. She is President, Clinical Psychology of Women, APA, Division 12, Section IV and lives in Merrillville, Indiana, USA.