Helping children feel safe and understood through therapeutic fostering

Fostering can look different for every family and every child. As part of Foster Care Fortnight, Tracy and Sarah, therapeutic foster carers with Oxfordshire County Council from Henley-on-Thames, share their experience of therapeutic fostering and how this approach helps children who have experienced significant trauma feel safe, supported and understood.

They talk about what therapeutic fostering looks like in everyday life, and why this type of fostering can make such a difference.

It’s often about doing simple, everyday things

Regular routines, calm reassurance, shared meals and emotional availability all help to create a sense of safety and trust, often at a time when very little feels familiar for the child.

“It’s about being predictable and emotionally available,” Tracy explains. “Those small, everyday moments really matter.”

Support when it’s needed for foster carers

They speak honestly about both the challenges and rewards of supporting children with complex emotional needs, and the importance of stability, patience and understanding.

“You don’t always see change straight away,” Tracy explains. “But over time, you notice them feeling safer, more settled – and that feels incredibly meaningful.”

Putting the child first

Children may arrive feeling unsettled or overwhelmed, and taking time to understand their needs is essential. Being flexible, emotionally available and well-supported helps foster carers respond with consistency and care.

“Things can change quickly,” Sarah says. “What a child needs one day might be different the next, so you have to stay open and responsive.”

A meaningful decision

Despite the challenges, Tracy and Sarah describe therapeutic fostering as one of the most meaningful decisions they have made.

“Seeing a child begin to trust and feel safe in your home makes it all worthwhile,” Tracy reflects.

Find out more

Whether you’re new to fostering or have experience working in care, education or health, therapeutic fostering offers the chance to use your skills and make a lasting difference to a child or young person’s life in Oxfordshire.

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We're part of something bigger

Oxfordshire County Council is proud to partner with 19 other local councils in a regional fostering recruitment hub, Local Authority Fostering South East.