Keeping Siblings Together
Professional literature repeatedly affirms the importance of the sibling bond. It is the longest lasting relationship most people ever have. Brothers and sisters share common experiences and history.
Siblings raised in emotionally stressed families may have an even stronger bond. When parents are absent, physically or emotionally, older siblings often take their place in significant ways. Studies have shown that foster children have an easier time transitioning and adjusting to adoption when they have the emotional support of their siblings.
Best Practices/Model Programs to Unite Siblings:
Deciding to Allow Children Contact with his or her Siblings
To determine what is best for their child and their family, parents need to consider why the siblings have been separated and what the long-term effects of separation might be.
New York State Statute & Regulation on Sibling Placement
Foster children who are siblings or half-siblings must not be unnecessarily separated unless placement together is determined to be detrimental to the best interests of the siblings
Overcoming Barriers to Keeping Siblings Together
As adoption records are becoming more accessible, social workers are finding that requests for information about siblings outnumber the requests for information about biological parents.
National Center Child Welfare Excellence; Sibling Resources and Links
The National Center Child Welfare Excellence is operated by the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and provides links to resources and more information on sibling placement.
Honoring and Maintaining Sibling Connections
This issue of Fostering Perspectives is about honoring and maintaining sibling connections. We lead off by bringing you the voices of children in care responding to the question, “Why are your siblings important to you?”
Visitation: Through the Eyes of a Child
A special emphasis on two situations of separation and loss requiring specific attention: sibling separation and children with incarcerated mothers.
New York State OCFS White Paper on Siblings in Foster Care and Adoptive Placement
Keeping Siblings Connected: A White Paper on Siblings in Foster Care and Adoptive Placements in New York State emphasizes the importance of the sibling bond to children’s development and emotional well-being.
Law Provides Children in Foster Care the Right to Visit their Siblings
Sibling relationships are tremendously important particularly when children face difficult circumstances like foster care. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this legislation and bringing fairness to our foster care system. This action will lead to stronger relationships and families in communities across the state.
Creating Sibling Friendly Agencies
Placing siblings together not only reduces the children’s losses and preserves kinship ties, it also reduces stressed agencies’ adoption costs. Siblings can help each other process the past, remember experiences, and move into the future together.
Camp to Belong
Camp To Belong New York reunites siblings separated by foster care for a week of camp in Lake George allowing siblings to connect and bond with each other through various camp activities making for a memorable week.
Creating Lifebooks
Children separated from their birth family, or who have experienced multiple placements in foster care, often don’t have ready access to information about their personal [...]