A shortage of foster parents for siblings that want to stay together
The foster care organisation Pleegzorg Vlaanderen says that there too few foster families that are able to want to take care of two or more siblings. In April a law was passed stating that children from the same family could stay together if for what ever reason they were no longer able to continue to remain with their parent(s). However, finding foster families that can accommodate siblings that wish to stay together is proving easier said than done.
Although Pleegzorg Vlaanderen doesn't have precise figures on how large the shortage of foster families that want or are able to care for two or more siblings is, the organisation’s Jan Brocatus told VRT News that "What we do see is that in Limburg Province there are there are currently six cases where a foster family can’t be found for children that want to stay together. We can assume that the situation is comparable in every province".
In April a law was passed enabling children from the same family to remain together if they were unable to continue living with their parent(s).
"Their remaining together can have positive effects. For example, it has an impact on their results at school”.
"We have noticed that foster families are prepared to take on one child first and later their brother and sister who remains in care. But that happens step by step. People are a lot less prepared to for example take on two brothers and a sister”.
Pleegzorg Vlaanderen is appealing for new foster parents to come forward that are prepared to offer a foster home to two or more children from the same family.