Advice

Sibling relationships are an important and influential part of a young person’s life.  Ensuring a positive relationship with a sibling can massively improve a young person’s experience in care, giving them someone to look up to, play with, and care for with all their heart. At Orchard Fostering, we believe in the importance of healthy sibling relationships – but how do you encourage positive relationships between foster children? Using our foster care expertise, we’ve compiled this how-to guide for fostering positive relationships among siblings. Read

Anyone who considers becoming a foster carer is bound to encounter a lot of big questions about the process and requirements of becoming and being a carer. At Orchard Fostering, we’ve heard all the myths and misconceptions about foster care – some of which you may be encountering for the first time. These myths and misconceptions can be confusing or off-putting – and often, difficult to get a straight answer on. We strive to make the foster care process as simple, clear-cut and straightforward as

With Ireland in the throes of a housing crisis, it has become considerably more difficult to own your own home. As such, more and more people are living in rental accommodation, rather than buying their own house. In the last few years, we have noticed an uptick in questions about renting and fostering in Ireland. One of the common misconceptions about fostering is that you need to own your home to foster – this is not the case. So long as you can provide a

Some of the most frequently asked questions we receive at Orchard Fostering are time-related: How long can a child stay in the foster care system? How do you decide how long a child stays in the foster care system? How long can a child stay with one foster family? If you’re interested in finding out more about timelines for children in the foster care system, read on – we’ve got plenty of information about foster care regulations, different placement types, and the type of time

There comes a time in every young person’s life where they move past their childhood and enter the realm of the grown-ups. As a foster carer, you will be there to provide ongoing support during the transition to adulthood. This time can be one of great joy and excitement, but it also comes with lots of challenges. Read on to find out more about preparing for a foster child reaching adulthood and to learn about aftercare planning. If you’re interested in foster care, please reach out

The Orchard Foundation is a funding body within Orchard Fostering, dedicated to providing opportunities to the children and young people in our care. In particular, the Orchard Foundation specialises in providing funding in areas where they may be financial barriers to entry – like the artistic, sporting or scientific fields. The Orchard Foundation is another avenue through which Orchard Fostering shows its commitment to building brighter futures for the children and young people in our care. Read on to find out more about our fostering