Thinking of fostering as a single parent - any others out there?

[Vicky13]

Hi everyone

I've been thinking of fostering for a long time, even before I had my daughter, but put it on hold when I found I was pregnant.

DD is now 10.5 and will go to secondary school in just over a year. I have been thinking for some time of applying to foster when she reaches 11, as she will be a bit more independent and not need me to do the school run.

I am not with her dad any more, although we're on good terms, and I have a boyfriend who I've been with a few years but he lives 50 miles away with 3 kids of his own and we have no plans to move in together for at least 5 years.

My questions are:

1 - would it be possible to foster as a lone carer with a child already. Obviously don't want any negative impact on my daughter, who would still need a fair amount of attention at age 11.

2 - would the allowance allow me to live on it and not work? I only have one spare room so would only be able to foster one child, and would not be prepared to take a child older than my daughter. I currently work 4 days a week but would obviously give that up if I was permanently fostering, or if I couldn't afford it I could consider doing respite care.

If anyone has any experience of fostering in these circumstances I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks

Vicky

Hi, I'm a single carer who gave up work to foster and have been doing it for quite a while now. I find the money is JUST about enough to live on if you foster one child but you do have to scrimp a bit. I also get Income Support and council tax benefit and would be entitled to housing benefit if I rented. Without the Income support I don't think I'd be able to afford to foster just one child.

Don't be fooled into thinking babies are the cheaper option either, as I did. They tend to have daily contact which means your petrol bill is sky high, as is your heating bill! (on the other hand, I do love the babies I take in)

As it is, I still take in 2 children most of the time (because I like to spoil them and can't do this with the allowance for just one child). If you have a spare room you could take in 2, if you thought you could cope, because you could put one in the spare room and a child under 2 in your own room. Just bear in mind that 2 foster children really does take a lot of time - there are plenty of meetings and appointments for just 1 and obviously this doubles for 2.

I hope this helps a little. Your LA or any agency you approach should be open with you about the money they pay (just remember that although an agency will pay a lot more they have very few placements available at the moment and if you've given up work you'll need a reliable income)

I am single and find with 2 children and working/child tax credits I am absolutely fine. It is hard work with 2 though, although it is a little easier if they are siblings as they obviously have the same contact arrangments and reviews etc. We get reimbursed for petrol for contact/meetings etc

You need to be prepared for periods where you dont have a child and so no income but tbh I have not had much experience of that.

You could also think of long term fostering where a child (probably junior school age) would be placed with you permanently, like adoption and that income is then secure. It is a huge commitment on your part but could be very satisfying. They normally would not have all the frequent contacts and meetings etc so the possiblity of working once they had settled down might be there.

Good luck, pm me if you like [happy]

sorry meant