Getting overnight childcare experience during Stage 2

[ErlaGirl]

Hi there

My partner and I are just about to start Stage 2, and have been told by our social worker that we have to get some experience (at least 3 times) of looking after children aged up 6 years, overnight in our own home. There are no children in our extended families, and we feel that it may be tricky asking friends for whom we're babysitting already for this huge favour, as we know that a couple of the families may be a little reluctant to do this, for various reasons (children with night terrors, parents have never left them before etc). If anyone has any ideas about how we can go about getting this experience, we would be very much appreciative.

Many thanks.

I think this is a tall and unreasonable order! It certainly does help having experience of overnights. We have had tons because of neice and nephew and then fostering babies which led to respite of toddlers. After the first few nights of having a two and a three year home with us for their forever home I was so glad that this was not my first experience of bedtime routine, comforting and settling in the night and mornings. However, it is unreasonable to expect you to materialise kids for an over night. That is certainly not safeguarding the needs of any children you might be able to find! Could you volunteer wjith a cub pack that may have a camp coming up? Perhaps if you have room could you on invite a family to stay with children. Parents would be there as back up but you could assist with bedtime routine etc. At the end of the day it would be fair enough for you to state this is not possible and raise a complaint with seniors if it remains to be a problem. Consult adoption uk for support and advice on this if they are still trying to force it!

You can borrow mine - all 6 of them ☺

Joking aside this is a bizarre request for reasons you have already said. I've not heard of this before.
If you volunteer at brownies or cubs you can do nights away there - will that be sufficient? 😕

We were told this on our first ever visit, before we put in our ROI. We found it ridiculous, and when we were allocated a SW he brushed it off and agreed it was an unreasonable request.
I did read somewhere someone was asked the same, and she said 'No problem, if you can give me access to these children I have no issues with doing as many overnight stays as you like!' and they apparently soon said it wasn't required.
Maybe try that!

Weird request and all these replies are great!

I'd lend you my kids but it would be miserable for all of you! Honestly it seems a bizarre thing to ask.

I doubt 6 year olds go camping and you'd need to really get involved in a rainbows/Brownies whatever pack.

Good luck.

I think they are asking a lot. Do you ever babysit at all? Would your friends be happy for you to babysit at their house and stay overnight?
I think it would be about as close to this request as you could possibly get without kids in the family.

Ridiculous!!!!
If a friend who was childless and hoping to adopt and didn't really know my 6 year old asked if they could borrow him for the night the answer would absolutely not! Not only would it be immensely stressful for the couple but why would I risk my child being scared, ill, have night terrors to tick a bloody box.
I suggest that you never mention it again to them because frankly they haven't got a clue! If they do mention it, tell them how stupid they are or lie

We got round it by truthfully being able to say had been on holiday and babysat friends' children many times. I was not comfortable with asking to borrow any!!

We were told similar but it was more along the lines of - get as much experience as possible including overnights. It didn't work out like that, we got lots of daytime contact & evening babysitting but other than parents staying overnight with us & their kids, we never did it in our own.

It hasn't been a hindrance, we were approved and today, we were matched with a 7mth old baby boy!

Speak with your SW and just work on getting as much contact as you can.

Good luck x

I was asked to do this and I asked a few friends. Some didn't get back to me and I didn't push the idea but one jumped at it and was happy to lend me her 2 overnight. Meant that her and hubby got a bit of time alone together. I already knew the kids quite well. We had a lovely time and they wanted to know when they could come back. And I've banked babysitting hours for when I need the favour returned!!!