Reading In Foster Care, Does it Help?

Being in foster care can be taxing on children and parents, but sometimes something simple like reading a book together can really help!

Benefits

Reading in foster care can really help a child's mood in general, letting them escape from the stress of a day, or just being away in a fantasy world can help be uplifting when the mood may not be so good, and can also be a welcome distraction. 
When a foster parent reads with a child, it may help to establish an emotional bond with the child, as reading together will allow you to talk about topics that may arise from reading the book, and may help you find out what the child likes and dislikes!

A study from The Book Trust said that "90% of foster carers who read with their child reported that it had made a positive difference to the relationship between them and their child."

How to Get Them Reading

Some children may be reluctant to read , and you may be hesitant to get them to read in some ways, but some things can help incentivise the child to read, and allow them to actually enjoy it as they are not being forced.

• Let them pick their own book, as it allow them to focus on things they like
• Make reading part of their bedtime routine, as it allows them to do it every night, and can help their sleep schedule and confidence
• Reward them when they read a certain amount of words or learn a new word, as incentivising the action of reading will help them look forwards to it!

An article by capstone foster care has shown that repeating an action multiple times can help the child improve, and will help with them expecting to read everyday, thus forming a habit.