Fostering for adoption scheme

[chocaholic2011]

has anyone read about David camerons new scheme? Only just read about it on the mail online!

Basically I think councils have to consider placing babies with approved adopters which on the face of it sounds great!

However are adopters going to want to do 6 day a week contact!! put up with complaints about their care and allegations! Have to stay hidden from violent parents when dropping off for contact!!!

Understand that care plans can be thrown out by judges and family members can be assessed then re assessed etc basically go on indefinitely!!

What do you all think?

Xx

[scarlet5tyger]

In addition to the points you raise I am also concerned that there is no way a foster carer could promote unbiased contact with birth parents if they were hoping that child would become theirs. My last placement was a child who was 100% going to adoption (SWs words, not mine). 4 weeks into the placement a new family member came forward and he's now living with them and having regular contact with BPs who have made huge changes to their lives. It's hoped he will eventually return to their care.

Also, the first argument put forward against FCs adopting their foster placements is that they are known and recognisable to the birth family and that the child would be at risk of being taken - how is this any different just because it's a baby?

Also, most of the babies placed in FC, at least in my LA, are suffering from FAS or NAS. It can be difficult even getting a foster carer to take them. Recently several new carers have had placement breakdowns because they were too keen to get started and took withdrawing babies in then couldn't cope. Surely it's better for a baby to spend 6 months with an experienced carer before moving to a forever family that can BE forever, rather than going straight to prospective adopters - then back into care - then to new adopters.

Finally, surely it needs pointing out to David Cameron once again that it's OLDER children that desperately need adopting, not babies.