Fostering approval

[mychildsachild]

Can anyone tell me what happens if your school will not fill in the forms of reference to send back to social services? My head will not give refernces or say why. The social worker asked why and she said "no comment" so now they think there is a problem! There isn't by the way, I suspect she does not want looked after children in her school as she keeps telling me it is full. We don't really like each other but surely that is not the point. Any advice??????

That is very strange. The Social Worker will have to contact them for an explanation, I'm sure they are obliged to provide the local authority with this information.

As for not wanting LAC in the school - she will have no choice, they are number one on the priority list. If you get school age children they may well be taxied to the school they are already at though so as not to disrupt them.

Good luck with the process

No I don't think a head can act inthis way either. She has a responsibility to provide a reference. Do you know if references for fostering with your SSD are confidential. Different l.a.s have different rules about this. If they are confidential this will make things difficult because your sw will not be able to share with you the head's reference, which is presumably not going to be positive.

Have you approached the head yourself. If not I think this is what you should do and I think she would be being highly irresponsible to refuse to give you a reason. If she does, then I would go the governors of the school. This just ins't fair. She has a right to give a negative reference but not to refuse a reference.

Hope you get this sorted.

Thank you all for your support. I think she would rather have syblings take the places than have looked after children at our school. I have been asked by my social worker to send a letter to the Governors, which I have done. I have seen the form they sent to the school and all it asks is if I am racist, how I support my childs education and how I communicate with the school to assist my children. Even if she hated my guts surely she could manage that! Some people have no concience!

So..I have an update, advice I can give after my experience is you are only suitable to look after desperate children if your Headteacher likes you and you don't complain about how they look after them at school.I have wanted to be a foster carer for 20 years and waited until I was in the best position to apply. The Social Services recommended us, but with out the schools 4 questions answered we have no chance!

Then go to governors, they have to fill it in.

And they have no choice over foster children (indeed all LAC) being priority number one.

Hi. To anyone who is considering foster care, you need to be aware of the following. This is from my experience of what the social workers said to me. If you have had a dissagreement or issue with parents or teachers or children at your childrens school, then you should be aware that all these things will be recorded or recollected by your Headteacher, official or not. In my experience you cannot trust anyone to tell the truth, especially delegated "dealers with" like deputy heads with power struggle issues. Please do understand I have never had anything to hide ! When the time comes for a reference, you should suck up to the head as much as you can, say anything smarmy that makes them feel like they have won your admiration.Most of all ask if you can help "put the questions in context" WITH them. My headmistress We at the school liken to Tony Blair and her deputy Gordon Brown has had far too much loyalty from me and my family. I have chaired the PTA, built a new school website and formed a foreign exchange group between 3 countries (which was soon panned by her as she thought it might mean more work for the teachers)but she didn't mind getting falsified OFSTED marks for!!!! And all I have had in return is no help for my daughters bullying problem and no co-operation with my fostering application. I remember her telling me " I have he forms and I admire what you are doing" and " Do you have children yet?" I remember her telling me the forms were there, but six months later they are not filled in and please remember that there is a very great possibility that looked after children will need precious places at the school and use up very precious SENCO resources!!!Apparently!!!! but you obviously cant repeat that can you.If you stand up and fight for your childs rights, or are prepared to fight for a foster childs rights, or get no satisfaction from them and have to go go Govenors etc. than forget your suitability to look after vulnerable children!