Child refugees and Foster care

[Lwren]

Hiya, hope everyone is well, times are quite worrisome for all.

Just really unsure where to ask this, but as we already have massive significant failings in the system, I'm just wondering what the opinions are on children who've fled from war. Surely to anything they're going to be placed with experienced carers? Not just be given well meaning folk. (We all want to help, I know) but we must have these kids going to fully vetted people. The risk for abuse must be astronomical, the risks in general terrify me.
I think keeping children homed in a group dynamic with plenty of staff, as opposed to in people's homes until they're fully checked and given support makes sense?
Am I naive? Am I stupid?
I've got thick skin so please don't be shy telling me.
I've been losing a fair whack of sleep over it.
We surely cannot just let people, even those with a clean CRB take kids in without a process?
I've seen too much, "beggars can't be choosers" but that doesn't mean we can allow children to go and be abused!
My maternal family were Jewish, so it's really felt far more, "there for the grace of god" go my kids, than most wars I've experienced.

Hope your children aren't too worried or affected by this and you're all well.

In my area unaccompanied children are placed with host carers who have been fully vetted and specially trained, that provision sits outside the usual foster care provision because of difficulties with current trauma, language etc. I don’t know how other areas do it but I can’t imagine unaccompanied children being placed with unvetted, untrained well wishers.

They aren’t just being placed with well-meaning folk, though. Where did you get that idea?

I've just seen many friends writing on fb they'd take in refugee kids and a few people chatting about it at school.
This just made me panic, I'm not massively confident in the way we care for kiddos generally.
I think I'm just winding myself up, honestly. Those poor bloody kids, I hope they get decent places to live.

Surely they mean as part of a family - Eg, a mum and child. They can’t seriously think they can host a refugee child alone. I’ve never heard or read about anyone saying that. It won’t happen. You’d need to be a specialist carer.

What people want to do (or more accurately what they virtue signal), and what they’ll be allowed to do are two different things. Responsibility for unaccompanied children sits with the local authority as corporate parent, and they’ll be doing their usual checks and balances.

@Lwren

Most people who say that won't actually do anything about it - I believe the mumsnet term is 'virtue signalling'

But its a common response to say you want to help in some way, but when people sit down and think it through they realise what an undertaking it would be and don't follow it through

All unaccompanied children are placed with approved carers. There aren't likely to be many unaccompanied Ukrainian children though.

Never believe anything you read on facebook. As someone above said there's a lot of virtue signalling happens. I have many who post about how much they give to charity, yet in work the way they go on suggests the opposite 🙄

As others have said, i highly doubt children would be placed with any random who's offered help. Perhaps if they were accompanied they may build a bond with hosts who may end up babysitting but that would be in line with you deciding who looks after your children, i dont know anyone who sends out dbs checks for their friends and family.
Also its so difficult to actually give anyone a home due to the loops the government are making people jump through.

I am nearing the end of stage 2 so cant take anyone in or all our checks would need done again 🙄

Virtue signalling is a good term, I've just googled it and in all honesty I've worried about specific people taking in kids (fb mouthpieces) when I'd struggle leaving a goldfish with them.
(I think I'm so literal sometimes it's really no surprise I've got ASD kids is it 🤣)
I didn't want to post aibu in case of being told off from mumsnetters, this place is safer and I thought you'd have a much better clue of what will be happening.
I suppose people who do like to shout loudly about how helpful they are are rarely any help at all and often just like a good pat on the arse.
Thanks for replying, DH has been telling me to not get het up over this.
I hope you're all doing as good as can be right now and kiddos aren't too worried. Thanks again pals 💛