Fostering advise?

[Aspiringteacher87]

Hi there,
My parents are considering fostering (I'm married and my Brother's at uni) but my younger sister (age 11) lives at home. My mum would be at home full time , and has experience with children is a work setting as well as the 3 of us. My Dad has flexible hours.

They are trying to decide whether they should foster with an agency or the local authority. They have had a telephone 'interview' with the Local authority but not found them very helpful, for example asking them to fill in the 'F' form with lots of agonizing over short term or long term fostering , only to find that first time fosters aren't allowed to foster long term...What would experienced foster carers advise?

Also, my parents live in an old house which is grade listed and isn't sterile or modern which I know childminders have to keep to. Obviously they would make changes such as stair gates etc for safety but how strict are SWs about the home...(ps it has a lovely big garden,fields, horses etc..brilliant for boys wanting to let off steam!)

Also any advise about the relationship between your own children and foster children?
Thanks for any advice!

[bornagainmum]

Hi there - I have just joined this site and posted a message.
It seems to be a similar one to your own and asks the same question. I hae a great deal in common with yor parents I think and my own children are grown.
We too live in a large and old house and I hadn't tought of it as unsuitable! Maybe I have a lot to learn about this enterprise?
Please let me know what they decie about independent/authority application.

[SammyK]

I am in the process of becoming a foster carer, and from what I can see, agencies pay more than local authorities (although my local auth offers lots of benefits), but agencies are placing the children LA can't place, so you may find yourself with a child from the opposite end of the country, scared and resentful and desperate to be back in their home town.

May not always be the case though! I would get a good feel of an agency, or even a few agencies before diving in. HTH

[lollie77]

We foster with local authority and did not find the home safety checks too strict, it was mostly common sense to be honest and they paid for any changes that had to be made such as window locks, fire blankets, drawer locks and plug covers.
Agencies sometimes do pay more, but as SammyK says, often the children are from other towns which we personally feel is yet another loss to the child, to move from their home town and usually have to move school.

[purple12]

I started fostering a few months ago with the local authority and while I have sometimes found the support not to be as extensive as was promised, the two kids that are with us have been able to continue to attend their same schools which has been unbelievably positive.
The other foster carers have also been very helpful. Of course, I don't know what it would be like with an agency, but I also know that the local authority will, of course, try and seek placements with their own foster carers first and then turn to agency carers as they are more expensive. Sometimes it may be that children who are less easy to place would be placed with the agencies so that was also a consideration.

As for the safety checks, it was pretty basic and mostly common sense as described above.

[Kayran]

Hi there. We work for an agency as the LA did not want us because DH is in the Army. We have had five children ranging form 7 months to 7 years and still have 2 little girls at the moment. Whilst agency children were traditionally 'the hard to place' type nowadays that is just not true. We have had five wonderful children and I am privileged to have been able to share the time with them.
Also whilst geographical needs are taken into account there can be a lot of positivty about the child moving into your area away from the previous family home. And contact if it is to be maintained will always be discussed before hand... Let me know if you would like anymore information