January is in the peak time for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can induce serious depression. It is not a sign of weakness and treatable.

For you or your foster child, this year may we suggest you make your targets Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound.

For a foster child, the chance to have a safe space, where no one will harm them and where they will be well cared-for can be huge.

Christmas can be difficult. Foster children may be reminded of their birth family, good or bad memories. A safe, happy foster child is better than anything.

We appreciate the awareness the Beginner brings to the care system and love the simple message of kindness it sends, because kindness is big in fostering.

We know foster children are not always an open book, but the wellbeing reward is worth the effort. Regularly spend time with them doing something they enjoy.

Common conditions foster children face include depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, eating disorders, social phobias and reactive attachment disorder.

The local authorities and independent fostering agencies like Footprints should support and promote contact between a foster child and their birth family.

As foster carers, we should never forget to value and listen to the young people in our care – otherwise we might miss the opportunity to learn from them.

A great start when a new foster child arrives is to have a set of your family rules on display. Some children simply won’t know what is expected behaviour-wise.