SBrain - I have 30 years experience as a social worker in fostering and adoption - have recently retired, which is why I am still up at midnight!
I think the fact that your approval is for 0-2 you may have a longer wait than say for a sibling group of 2 middle years aged children, but you never can tell. It's just one of those things, because we have never been able to find a way of knowing what age and gender of child/ren are going to need short term placements. Mind it is is generally known that a lot of children are older and are in sibling groups or have particular behaviour problems and clearly none of these children would be suitable for you. Don't get dispondent if you have to wait. It's sometimes a good idea to be approved for respite as well, which means that you could care for a child already fostered but the carers need a break or have family problems (carers have their own problems too) and having respite care for a child can often help. Again though this is more likely to be for older children.
Dependent on the l.a. for whom you are carers, sometimes when soc workers are desparate to place a child, carers will be asked to accept a placement out of their age range (or sometimes can be overloaded or given very difficult children) so you need to be clear if this happens how you will react. Of course soc workers often don;t know the extent of the child's behaviour problems and this does vary enormously and how the child is handled is so very important, but I'm sure you learned all that on your training course. Mind it's never the same in theory as in practice!
Sorry can't remember who mentioned having to wait for a letter from SSD before a placement can be made. This is because the Fostering Panel can only recommend approval and the Childrens Service Manager (or someone else higher up the chain) actually has to agree (this is really a rubber stampingjob - once the fostring panel have agreed on your approval it is extremely unlikely that this would be changed - in fact I have never known it happen. This does take a week or so for all the fostering papers to be sent to the Snr Officer and for him/her to agree on the approval.
Someone asked about the fostering panel. They differ according to different l.a.s and there will always be around 10 people in the room which can be very daunting, but there has to be representation from social services, education, health, local councillors etc, a minute taker and a panel advisor etc. Your own social worker will sit with you and chip in if necessary. The panel should always treat applicants with respet and they are NOT trying to trip you up, There are no trick questions. It is really a matter of the panel members discussing with you some of the isssues in your Form F. Sometimes they might feel that the soc worker hasn't sufficiently explained a point or mised something out and they might ask you abit more about this.
Most applicants are surprised that it was nothing like what they were expecting and actually enjoyed the experience. They are also aware that people can get nervous and nake allowances and should be able to put you at your ease. They often begin by asking you how you found the training course and whether there were any parts you found more interesting or were surprised about. Be honest about everything because panels willunderstand that you will still have some uncertainty about fostering and this is only natural. In fact I orry far more about people who say "oh we know we can cope with anything and there is nothing we are worried about" because this isn't realistic.
Anyway good luck to you all. As you will all know there is a huge shortage of foster carers throughout the country and you are much needed.