Making the Most of Your Foster Child’s Bedroom

Having a room of your own is a very special thing – it’s your place, and your place alone. As such, it’s important to recognise this when you’re doing up your foster child’s bedroom. This is a place for them to feel safe, to feel protected – a place where they can, most importantly, be themselves.

With all that in mind, it can be difficult to know where to start when you’re decorating your foster child’s bedroom. Luckily, we’re here to help. Follow along with our tips and tricks below, and you’ll get all the information you need to turn your spare room into the perfect space for your foster child.

Before we start, however, it’s worth mentioning the requirements – if you are going to foster a child with Orchard Fostering, it is essential that you have a spare bedroom to foster a child.

  1. Be Patient

Fostering a child is an exciting time, and it can be easy to be swept up in the rush of it all – many a spare bedroom was completely decorated long before a child ever set foot inside it! While it’s always good to be prepared, waiting until after the child has settled into your home is often the best time to kick off the real decorating.

This allows them to settle in, and it also allows you get a grip on their personality – the things they like, or don’t like. Waiting for them is important, as it furthers the idea that their bedroom is their space.

  1. Start Simple

While patience is a virtue, we do understand that the room needs to be habitable before the child moves in. Getting the brilliant basics in place is an essential component, and will help the child feel welcome, while still letting them know they have the freedom to make their room their own.

Some ways to get your spare room prepared include adopting a neutral paint scheme – whether it be a light grey, a muted brown, or a cream – and mimicking the neutral colour scheme across your furniture. This way, no matter what your child likes, they have a solid base upon which to build.

  1. Let Them Help

Once the child has moved into their room, and settled into your family, you can broach the subject of decorating their room together. This is a fun activity, with multiple benefits – it gives the child ownership of their space, it makes them feel more comfortable in your home, and it allows you to form a bond through creativity and craftsmanship.

  1. Try Out Some of Our Decoration Ideas

We may be the leading independent fostering agency in Ireland, but we’re also fairly handy with the home décor!

If you’re feeling inspired, be sure to check out Pinterest for ideas on how to decorate your foster child’s bedroom. Before you know it, you’ll be giving Dermot Bannon a run for his money!