Can foster children go to nursery?

[bottersnike]

We have just started the process of becoming foster carers, and were wondering whether it is possible for foster children to attend nursery part-time?
Our local nursery is fantastic, and we have a great relationship with the staff there. Presumably we would need permission from the birth parent / SS before a foster child could attend?

Are you talking 3 year old or younger?

3 year old it would be fairly normal to attend nursery although if they already attend they may stay at the previous one.

Little ones would be unlikely to attend as they will be having some trouble adjusting and a new start at nursery would be another challenge.

Young children also tend to have more frequent contact with parents (2+ sessions a week) which can also be disruptive and would be more time away from you.

What age range are you looking at?

We have fostered LOs. In my experience contact would be arranged around nursery as provided the child is emotionally able SS like them to do everything a child who isn't looked after would do.

We have always sent our LOs to nursery once they are settled with us.

Good luck with the assessment.

At the moment we are looking at 0-4 year olds. Whether we consider sending them to nursery obviously depends on the child, but all other things being equal, it is good to know that it is an option.
Dolphin, what approvals did you need?

Our SW are always happy to let us do whatever is best for the child. It depends really what the circumstances are, if SS have a full care order parents approval is not needed. If not parents need to be informed but we have never had any problems getting permission. SW will usually overule parents if it's in the best interest of the child.

If there is an interim care order or section 20 parents will be more involved as the plan may be for them to return home.

my little 2 year old goes to nursery for 12 hours a week 6 of those hours are funded

Much depends on the circumstances as others are saying. I tend to think that any child removed from home is going to be traumatised and the essential task is to be physically and emotionally available to him/her for the first few weeks (sometimes months) having said that if the child is 3 or over then a few hours at a playgroup should be fine. Actually a lot of social workers are very happy to agree to children going to nursery.

Under 3's I think on the whole need one to one care with a caring an nurturing adult and this is especially true of looked after children who will have suffered abuse or neglect of some sort. Those first 3 years lay the ground for the rest of the child's life.

Sorry nymph I don't agree with your advice. If there is an iterim care order the plan would not be for rehabilitation home (unless there was a drastic change in circumstances) as otherwise the LA would not be going to court for a Care Order. An ICO gives the LA parental responsibility and there is no need for parent's permission, though naturally you would tell them as a matter of courtesy. Re S.20 again there would be no need to seek any kind of approval from parents. I think the thing is as someone has said, LAs have to ensure that there is regular and frequent contact with looked after children and that could interfere with attending nursery.

That's very helpful, all, thank you, especially NanaNina.