Age consideration with FC

[HugoandSam]

Hello. I have been looking to do fostering for a while now..... my story is that I was a nursery teacher, been a CM and a Nanny, and spent several years as a Respite Care provider. Recently I began looking into the posibilities of either a return to Respite Care (now Short Term Care?) or to go down the foster route. But my main experience (apart from raising my own children) is with young children, mainly up to three years. And I was wanting to foster babies or very young children. The SW who came to see me said I'd probably only be considered for children over 8 or 9 or even teens due to my age (I am 48). But what about my experience? I'm a little put off I have to say but not given up yet. My friend fosters in the Bedfordshire area and she is older than me and always has babies. Is this a regional thing? (I'm Berkshire). Also been told (although this is a different story) that there are no families needing respite care in my area with children under 9. Can this be true?

Hi

It could be a regional thing, or it could be that they either don't require carers for younger children or desperately need them for older children so trying to make you fit i with their requirements.

You could contact a neighbouring LA - they might have other feelings on the matter.

I certainly know of older FC's within my LA that foster babies

Good luck with it - let us know how you get on

We have loads of older fc that do babies, you do now you can foster for any la not just were you live I would ring round and see what others say ear in mind ifa usually only have ode children

Also lots of older baby carers in my area.

Seems a bit odd to say that really as age has very little to do with it.
Perhaps they just have too many baby carers and not enough babies where you are. We have too many baby carers in my area, lots of people have vacancies.

Your age shouldn't have anything to do with it. Maybe the authority isn't short of carers for younger children. But there are advantages to accepting older children - they are at school all day! (Just very challenging when they come home).

Try an IFA, Fostering Care Associates aim to register within 16 weeks from initial contact.

for IFA can I assume that means Independant F Agency?

Thank you very much all, I feel encouraged now, I was quite deflated following SW visit. I have had a lot of contact with older children but am feel that my skillset is best suited to younger children.

With short term break, can I also apply to my neighbouring councils for that? I cant believe in the whole of Berkshire no one is looking for short term care for younger children (under teenage)

The IFAs will recruit/assess much more quickly than the LA as they have more staff and resources. However - just a word of warning - most LAs don't have trouble placing babies and younger children so won't have to "buy" IFA placements, so that might not help. You could try another LA though. Think it very unprincipled of the sw to say you were too old for babies and young children - utter nonsense. As others have said they are needing homes for older children, but she should have been honest and said that they did not have a need for foster carers for babies or young children, but were in dire need for carers of older children, sibling groups etc, instead of using you age as an excuse.

I'm a bit shocked they think you are too old at 48! I'm sure you would be very capable and have lots of experience!

I know of foster carers who are nearer 68 all doing a fantastic job of caring for babies but some LA's are short of carers even for babies so IFA's do sometimes get asked to take them.

I am struck dumb! Too old to foster babies at 48? I know a foster carer who is 54 and LA have agreed to her adopting her 18 month old FD. The child does not have special needs and would be easy to place with an adoptive family.

When I think of the problems I had adopting my two I canot believe the stance of LA allowing this adoption to take place. Mad!