Do long term fostered children ever get returned to their parents?

[BadgerBadgerMushroom]

I posted this in fostering but thought there might be a bit more traffic here today. I wondered if anyone knew how likely it would be that a child in long term foster care for 7 years would be returned to their parents after all that time. Is it a complicated process? Does it happen often? My step children's mum has recently met a partner who states they are getting their child back after that long and I would like to understand the process a bit more. Thanks for any help or advice. :)

I was going to say that I guess in Britain fostering only ever happens under compulsion, against parents' will.

In another country, I have a relative who voluntarily put her kids into foster care, recognised she wasn't coping. She had regular visits with them until they were adults. She was very proud of them & sure she made the right decision. After that, they chose not to see her any more (she is a difficult character). If she could have organised her life, with their agreement, they could have moved back in with her.

However, I'm thinking of a friend whose wild teen was fostered for about 18months. The bio-mum requested something from social services, b/c she was struggling to keep her teen safe. Fostering was the only support they could offer. The wild teen is now an adult, seems to now have a stable ongoing relationship with her parents. So another case where the fostering wasn't against the bio-parent's will.

@kindergarten This is our thinking. My DP and I both work in setting where we have had extensive safe guarding training and quite often hear this line.

@nevertwerk they are 9 and 14 so old enough to know what's going on but maybe not old enough to understand the repercussions.

@notapizzaeater we decided that too. We realised that it wasn't worth the risk and we need a lot more information. Not sure why mum wants them back suddenly. Sadly I think it may be down to money 😕

@ralph you have literally summed her up in the last paragraph. It's scary and I feel that she is blind to what this new partner has done. She says she knows and it's not that bad but....7 years in care! We aren't silly.

Have you had experience of mash advice conflicting with SS advice and in your opinion what do you think a judge would make of this situation? Our original court order was made because of another partner that wasn't much better 😖

Following my situation is similar

@slippery feel free to ask for advice :) it's all very complicated isn't it 😲

She has lost 7 kids to care system she is only allowed to see the youngest two under supervision by children's services my ex has been with her 15 months I said until she gets at least unsupervised access to her kids then unsupervised access to ours is a no children's services agreed he is now pushing again for her to have access to our kids I've said no so he has cut down the time he has his kids for they are both unemployed living in a caravan somewhere he has been telling me for ages she is getting them back but her family have adopted most of them

And he told me last year she tried to stab him why would I allow my children around this behaviour?

@slippery oh my god. You are definitely doing the right thing. Keep listening to SS. It doesn't sound like he is in a place where he can really keep the kids safe 😱

In my experience, any Judge would fully support your position as you are so obviously making safe decisions in ref children's best interests and the children's mum so obviously isn't. I mean, refusing contact unless her new boyfriend who has had his children removed for unknown reasons can come along too? The mind boggles. Contact is to serve the children's needs, not the adults needs and she is making it all about what she wants.

@ralph its like you've actually met this woman! We found out today she got married over the weekend😲 and we've been told mediation documents will be on their way. Hold on tight it's going to be a bumpy ride!