# transition process?



## Kelloggs (Aug 15, 2011)

Hello, we are currently in a strong like with a little boy. Our social worker has suggested we look into how we will prepare him for moving in etc. She mentioned sleeping with a blanket to then give him. Does anyone have any advice of things to do? Thank you


----------



## Mumanddad (Apr 6, 2014)

Exciting times   We have got the butterfly forget me not album to put photos in and it has a voice record function so it can be given to lo before moving in, or you could depending the age of your lo make a scrap book style album of photos of their room and your home. We were told about the blanket idea to, we've got a teddy to do the same thing with.
Becky x x x


----------



## Kelloggs (Aug 15, 2011)

Thank you, I've been thinking of the teddy idea i just wouldn't know what to get him.  He's 6 months at the minute but by the time he comes home if we get to matching panel... he will be 9 months old. Husband is going to do a sensory book for him  xx


----------



## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

The snuggle cloths are quite good. Other folks have used jelly car soft toys or a soft blanket.
They may not be into soft toys etc but may help him get used to your smell etc and he something that becomes familiar. Also ask FC about washing powder/softner and if any air freshners are used to help your home smell more familiar. 
X


----------



## mummy2blossom (Feb 21, 2013)

We built a build a bear & recorded ourselves saying hello blossom it's mummy hello blossom it's daddy then slept with it. (Nearly 1.5 years down the road and she loves it still!)
We also changed our washing powder/softener to match FC, I also wore the same perfume. We slept with a sleeping bag too and also did the talking album. We made a DVD of us reading, singing & playing. The bear was in every photo too. FC also suggested we take few items of her clothes we had bought to dress her during intros. 
We made sure we had same bottles/nappies/wipes/formula etc as FC. 

Blossom was just over 6 months when she came home. 

Hope this helps x


----------



## Tictoc (Aug 20, 2015)

Our LO is not really that interested in teddies but sleeps with a blanket every night so I think that might be a good one. Also something we overlooked was having same bottles as FC - lucky we discovered this as we were taking him home and she gave us a few.

A picture of yourselves that could be put at the end of his cot might be nice?


----------



## becs40 (Apr 9, 2013)

We got a jellycat giraffe. He wasn't into teddies or anything at 6 months when he came to us but as he's got older he's become very attached to it and a little kangaroo comforter that FC bought him at birth. He's 16 months now and I'd say it's only the last couple if months he's really be one teddy obsessed!


----------



## Kelloggs (Aug 15, 2011)

Thank you, some lovely ideas there. I'm thinking of a teddy but maybe I'll buy him a special one for when he officially moves in as will feel more exciting then. And get him a blanket to have at the foster carers home. We will do the butterfly photo and voice toy thing too 😁


----------



## Sq9 (Jan 15, 2013)

Congratulations  . Our lo was 6 months when we found out about her and 9 months when she came home. We bought a very soft blanket and a teddy which we slept with a week or so before matching panel then fc gave them to lo and she slept with them til we met her. We did a4 photos of us which we laminated and fc put them all over the house - quite funny to see pictures of us all over their house during intros! We also did a book with pictures of us and immediate family which my mum printed onto fabric and made into a book which fc gave her and showed her every day from mp to when we met her. She still has the book now in her memory box. When we met her for the first time, it felt like she knew our faces and quite often pointed to the pictures around the room and in her book. Good luck   xx


----------



## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

There are some lovely ideas here.

We are in stage 1 hoping to go into stage 2 soon and I will have to remember these ideas


----------



## Nicola30 (Jun 13, 2011)

Our princess was 13 months when she came home - we got a brill recordable book from M&S and she absolutely loves it, it's usually the first thing she wants when she gets up every morning.
We also did a DVD and photo book, she laughs at the DVD if we put it in now but it did help with transition, she recognised us when she first met us but she was a bit older.
We slept with a bear for scent, and bought all same things fc used (bottles, nappies, powder/softener etc) 
Good luck with it all, it's the most exciting time xxx


----------



## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

We matched washing powder/softener, bought a soft toy and rubbed my perfume on it (I don't actually habitually wear perfume, but I put vanilla on the bear and wore it for intros and placement).  

We did a DVD and large, A4 laminated photos - they really worked - when he first saw us he ran to grab them and ran towards us shouting, "Mummy!  Daddy!"  We also did the talking book, but it never worked!  We used it as an early life story book when he came home, though.

This time round we'd also sleep with a blanket and toy.

We did lots of things for familiarity - we only decorated his room plainly, and then added things that were familiar to him. He had stars on the walls at FC, so we added star and rocket stickers.  His room had bare wood furniture at FC's, so we varnished instead of painted his furniture at home.  Stuff like that.

Just think all the senses, but especially scent at that age.


----------



## Loopylou29 (Mar 4, 2013)

For ds1 we wore the same clothes on day 1 of intros as we did in some of the photos in the book we made for him. It clearly worked as he kept pointing at the picture of us with those clothes on and saying "same".


----------



## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

I forgot that one!  LOL.  Yeah, we did that, too.  In fact, I wore a red jumper for the first three days.


----------



## Lorella (Jan 10, 2013)

Oh yes we did the clothes thing too!
Also when LO come home FC leant us her blanket for the first few weeks ( as it was a special one they wanted back) so I made sure that was wrapped around her mattress. Also slept her in sleepsuits from FC to start with before putting her in new stuff. 

Apart from that same as everyone else. The fabric conditioner is a big one I think. When we stopped using it and then got it again recently the whole house just smelt of FC house and reminded us if when she moved in. Oh the power of smell ...... Very strong sense 😊 x


----------



## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

My tweet after the first day of intros went, "I have snot on my shoulders and smell of babies.  Result."  It was a wonderful feeling.

Our LO came with loads of clothes - FC had clearly been shopping for the next size up recently, and her taste was completely impeccable (which was weird, as we had nothing in common in any other way!)  She was fiercely determined that no-one would ever look at Bug and identify him as a Looked After Child because of what he wore, and spoke of other FCs just dressing the kids in care in identical trackie bottoms and cheap t-shirts.  Bug transitioned into new clothes very slowly.


----------

