Mission: Maintain and strengthen ties between separated siblings who come into foster care or are adopted.
Few relationships have more potential for lifelong bonding than the one between siblings. Growing up together,
celebrating holidays, and sharing hours of daily interaction create strong links that remain and strengthen as time passes.
Benefits of Placing Siblings Together
One of the most critical contributions that child welfare professionals can provide for children who enter
care is to preserve their connections with their brothers and sisters. Children who come into juvenile justice,
foster care or are adopted often are separated from existing or future siblings according to HHS.
Siblings Together USA-
Few relationships have more potential for lifelong bonding than the one between siblings. Growing up together,
celebrating holidays, and sharing hours of daily interaction create strong links that remain and strengthen as time passes.
Benefits of Placing Siblings Together
One of the most critical contributions that child welfare professionals can provide for children who enter
care is to preserve their connections with their brothers and sisters. Children who come into juvenile justice,
foster care or are adopted often are separated from existing or future siblings according to HHS.
Siblings Together USA-
- Provides access to siblings that are separated. When siblings cannot be placed together, we facilitate regular contact.
This contact is critical to maintaining these relationships. - Create arrangements for regular visits. Frequent visits help to preserve sibling bonds.
- Provide the opportunity for siblings to participate in activities together. With continued support and funding, we can provide
more opportunities for separated siblings to spend quality time with each other; from holidays to dinner, weekend camps to summer camps. - Help children with emotions. Siblings who are receiving counseling can participate in group sessions; and see the same counselor.
- Encourage children to share their thoughts and feelings; empathize with, and do not minimize their concerns.
- Provide opportunities for fun and positive interactions between children to promote attachment.
- Promote reciprocity between children in the family; for example, if a child destroys the property of another, find a way for
the child to make up for the loss, such as earning the money to replace the item. - Find ways for parents to have meaningful one-on-one time with each child.
- Teach children skills to resolve their own disputes to the extent possible.
- Develop a support group for siblings, either informally or through an agency.