When you welcome a foster child into your home, you’re taking on far more than just providing a safe place to sleep and regular meals. One of your most crucial responsibilities is ensuring they receive proper medical care and this often means becoming their strongest advocate in healthcare settings.

Your Role as a Medical Advocate

As a foster carer, you’re likely the person who knows your foster child best on a day-to-day basis. You notice when they’re not quite themselves, when they complain of headaches, or when their behaviour changes. This puts you in a unique position to speak up for their medical needs, especially when they might struggle to articulate their concerns themselves.

Many foster children have experienced disrupted healthcare before entering care. They may have missed routine check-ups, dental appointments, or not received proper treatment for ongoing conditions. Some arrive from foster agencies with incomplete medical histories, making your observations even more valuable to healthcare professionals.

Building Strong Relationships with Healthcare Providers

Establishing good relationships with your foster child’s GP, dentist, and any specialists is essential. Don’t hesitate to ask questions during appointments. You’re not being difficult, you’re being thorough. If something doesn’t feel right or you’re not satisfied with an explanation, it’s perfectly acceptable to seek a second opinion.

Keep detailed records of appointments, medications, and any concerns you’ve raised. This documentation can be invaluable, particularly if your foster child moves on or if you need to escalate concerns about their care.

Recognising When to Push for More

Sometimes, you might feel that a healthcare provider isn’t taking your concerns seriously or that your foster child’s needs aren’t being fully addressed. Trust your instincts. You know this child’s baseline behaviour and physical state better than anyone else in the room.

If your foster child has experienced trauma, and many have, they might present symptoms that could be dismissed as behavioural issues when they’re actually medical concerns. Chronic pain, sleep disorders, or digestive problems can all manifest as challenging behaviour in children who can’t express what’s wrong.

Preparing for Medical Appointments

Before any appointment, jot down your concerns and observations. Note when symptoms occur, how long they last, and what seems to trigger them. If your foster child is old enough, involve them in this process as they might reveal important information they hadn’t mentioned before.

Bring all relevant paperwork, including any medical records you’ve been given and your fostering agency’s contact details. Some medical decisions might require input from social services, so it’s better to have this information to hand.

Supporting Your Foster Child Through Healthcare

Medical appointments can be particularly anxiety-provoking for children in care. They may have had negative experiences with healthcare settings or worry about what might be discovered. Explain what will happen during appointments in age-appropriate language, and reassure them that you’ll be there to support them.

The Long-term Impact

By advocating effectively for your foster child’s medical needs, you’re not just addressing immediate health concerns; you’re teaching them that their wellbeing matters and that it’s important to speak up about health issues. These lessons will serve them well throughout their lives.

Being an advocate doesn’t mean being confrontational. It means being persistent, informed, and putting your foster child’s health and wellbeing at the centre of every decision.