Welcome Home

Helping Children Understand the Fostering Journey

Amanda Calwell

Description of Project

Welcome Home is an educational board game designed to help birth and adopted children in families considering fostering understand the fostering journey and explore what it means to welcome a foster child into their home.

Problem Statement

Much of the information available about fostering is aimed at adults. As a result, birth and adopted children in families considering fostering may feel uncertain, excluded from discussions, or develop misconceptions about what fostering means for their family. This can create anxiety and make it more difficult for children to understand and prepare for the changes fostering may bring.

The game combines familiar board game mechanics with discussion cards and true or false challenges. Players learn about fostering, discuss feelings and empathy, and challenge common myths about foster families. As they progress around the board, they collect beads to create a personalised keyring that reflects their individual journey through the game.

Hand drawn initial idea for a board game layout.

My Process

Research included exploring fostering resources, identifying the needs of children within fostering families, and reviewing educational board games. Initial ideas were generated through brainstorming and sketching several possible board layouts. The hand-shaped design was selected because it represents support, belonging, and family. The concept was refined through prototyping, user testing, and feedback, which led to improvements in the board colours, card content, and the addition of the personalised bead keyring reward system.

Hand drawn game layout with two hands cupping a house marked "Home". Different coloured stipes on the hands denote different cards to play.

The final outcome is an engaging discussion game for families and fostering professionals that promotes understanding, empathy, and a sense of belonging. It can be used in one-to-one sessions or group settings.

Close up of the cards for the game titled variously" Support, Who, Growth, True or false, Worries, Choices. An example of a card from each category is shown for example. True or false, 'you can watch a film in bed with your foster sibling' and for Choices - "what would you do if the cild you were looking after broke your favourite toy?".

The final board game, the cards are shown on the board which has been simplified a little from the previous iteration. Playing pieces are children and there are three bracelets on the board too.

About me

I am currently studying U101 as part of a wider Open Degree. As a foster carer and trainer of prospective foster carers, I am passionate about creating user-centred solutions that support families and encourage understanding. During this module, my goal was to develop a meaningful resource that addressed a real need within fostering families. After graduation, I hope to continue designing products and experiences that create a positive social impact.