How does placement work for school aged children?

[Hotwaterbottlelove]

If a child is at school are they expected to carry in going when they are first placed? So they potentially have a new home, new family and new school to deal with in the same day?!

Ours had a week off for last week of intros, then a week off for half term, then another week off (I think, long time ago now) then started school.

School for DD1 (y3 at the time) was very 'stabilising' and it was considered to be better for her to stick to her routine of school. I think it did help as she got to know people, and we had DD2 (age 2 at the time) as well. We took her in for a visit to new school during the extended intros (4 weeks!)

as with so many things depends on the child. My nearly 8 year old had a week off for intros it was then very conveniently the Easter holidays, so we had another two weeks, the first week of term we visited school to get his uniform and he stayed for the morning. Next week he did half days, then full time.
I think it worked quite well for us, the May bank holiday followed quite quickly and then half term, so we had plenty of time together but he had the structure of school which we both really needed.

If I were going back in time with an infants age child, I'd look to doing mornings only for a while, as that is when the 'important' stuff of maths & English is done. then pick up at lunch time, moving to pick up after lunch break.

My DC moved in the last week of the school holidays, they started school after half term, so 6 weeks at home with me. My 4 year old went mornings only and my 6 year old went full time. The head teacher and school staff are well trained in working with young people who have experienced trauma and could support both children well. If that hadn’t been the case I would have delayed them starting but it’s worked well.

Mine were placed at the beginning of the summer holiday. They needed those 6 weeks. Half-days would have been great. Our sw felt the routine would be good for them and the school wanted them in of course, but looking back I think shorter days would have made things much easier for them. They were exhausted and one of them kept saying for years that she didn't have enough time with me.

The plan with my eldest was for her to have 2 weeks for Easter off then restart, (not quite intros as it was a complicated situation) this was what sw recommended. However in her case it quickly became apparent that she could not cope in anyway with me out of her sight (she was severely traumatised) so we ended up home edding for pretty much three years before she started secondary school, which was her choice.
(I still home ed my younger children, my eldest is now at uni doing her masters)
As with everything flexibility is key, I know a fellow adopter whose child did wonderfully continuing at school after 2 weeks of intros, likewise I know another whose son also could not cope.

Hi, our 6 year old had 4 weeks at home with us before starting school. He then had a couple of 'taster' days, then 2 weeks full time before the start of the summer holidays. It felt like a bit of a battle to get this - the child's social worker was not keen. However, I think it was good bonding time for us all and as you've said, not too much in the way of new stuff all at once. I would do the same again.

Our DC were placed in June so we were advised to wait until the new school year apart from a couple of visits to the new school. We had 11 weeks of DC home and it was too much!

My son did a half term in reception before placement, so we did introductions during a half term holiday then he did a few half days at his new school about 3 weeks into placement. The routine, as others have said, really benefited him and I think helped with giving him a bit of respite from the huge grief he had at leaving his foster carers. I sat at home every day expecting school to call and ask me to collect him, but he was fine - every child is different however.

My friend’s 5 year old (but year 1) was placed in May and didn’t start school until September. I think they were all climbing the walls by that point. She’s a very bright cookie and was desperate to start by then.

Our son was placed when he was 5 1/2. We made the decision as he was deafblind to keep him at home with us for 6 months as we felt the move from a Children's home and new school would confuse him too much. The senior social workers were a bit iffy but we stuck to our guns and in hindsight we made the right decision.
Good luck.