How do you introduce the fc?

[familyloveforever]

Hi I'm a new foster carer and just wondered how you introduce your fc when out and about along side your own children. Do you say they are yours? Relative? Friends child? Foster child (guessing not) tips would be handy if you could please

Fc is meaning foster children not sure if that's the right abbreviation

Here are my children [insert names here] and here is the lovely [insert name here] who we are lucky to have staying with us for a little while.

Thanks @queenofthedump for replying very helpful

If the child is old enough ask them. I know some fc like to say that they are with their aunt/uncle.
If you really need to mention it and they are young I think honesty is the best. The child should not think that it is anything to hide or be embarrassed about.
Our fc is very much ours but they have other parents who are just unable to look after them.

I'm interested to know what other foster carers would say about a long-term placement, with us til 18 or longer? Saying they're 'staying with us' wouldn't be appropriate in that situation I think.

Also, lots of our friends and family know that we foster so they're going to know who he is even if we don't say it explicitly.

We were always honest, said this is our foster child, and the children introduced us as their foster mum/dad. We were told very early on by our social worker to discourage our foster children from calling us mum and dad, because we aren't. Never an issue and no shame in being fostered.

I introduce as "this is xxx our foster daughter/son" it's never been a problem for us or our foster children.
We have never been specifically told that we can't be referred to as mum and dad by the children, it's usually been whatever the children feel most comfortable with - either our names, or mum and dad or sometimes both interchangeably used depending on the FCs mood at the time.

My foster children call us mum and dad. Social workers have said they can as they're long term with us.

Usually if we're out and about I'll just refer to them as my kids but if it comes up I will say I'm their foster parent as they're quite open themselves and will tell all and sundry that they're in foster care!