Course finished

[Catfriend]

Just finished the skills to foster course and I feel de flated!!!! Mostly not knowing what happens next!!!!

Got mine next week! Very excited and a little nervous :-) Although we are quite far along in the assessment process as they started it all abit ago even though we couldnt get time off for the course until now. Our social worker is hoping we will go to panel before Christmas.

Hi Tilly28 that's great news you might be at panel before Christmas exciting times ahead. I really enjoyed the course even the worse case scenarios. I got a lot of positive feed back from the course and met a few characters along the way!!!!!! I wish I was further on the road like yourself. It seems like I've been waiting for a long time for things to move, slowly!!!!!!!

Hi Catfriend. Have you done all the other courses that need to be completed before going to the foster panel? I did the skills to foster first, and then the other courses after. Its all taken a few months.... Yes, found some of the courses hard work, topics can be a bit upsetting, but need to know what we are letting ourselves in for, worst case senario and all that. p.s. in spite of my nicname, not gone to panel yet....just being positive

Hi newfostermummy

I've only done the skills to foster course. What other courses are there which you have done?? I have a meeting next week with one of the SW that lead the course not sure what the meeting will be about!!!!! Maybe to see how I feel after the course!!!!! Do they decide if I'm ready to move on at this meeting next week?!!

Hi Catfriend
I am with LA, not sure if you are with LA or IFA. We had to do several courses before the panel date, including Complaints and allegations, Working with the foster service, First aid etc. There is plenty of time for this. Now you have finished the Skills course, you will be allocated your own SW who will complete your assessment. This will take a few weeks/months. They have to interview the people you selected to provide a reference, and there is lots of checks to do in the background. Please do not worry about this!! They will ask you about your childhood, family, life experiences etc. Just be open and honest throughout the process, they are really nice. This is also a two way street for you to ask for information, and during this time you will decide if fostering is really for you. Sometimes it can get very frustrating just waitings for the cogs to be put in motion, but I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. Hope this helps.

About to start day 3 of the course today! :-)

Newfostermummy. I'm also hoping to go with my LA. So before my panel date there is more courses?? Are these courses all part of the assessment process aswell?? Your comment back has been much help to me thank you very much.

Tily28 how are you finding the course so far??

We finished yesterday. I thought it was excellent, very informative, worked at a good pace and was very engaging! Although the best part by far was having the opportunity to hear from the actual foster carers who came along. We left just thinking we wanted to be involved even more and so looking forward to seeing our social worker again soon. have you been allocated a social worker yet catfriend? I believe the other 6 course discussed above have to be done within 6 months of being approved (but most you can do online!). The only one we have had to do aswel as skills to foster is a paediatric first aid which we are completing online!

Hi catfriend, Reading all the above, looks like all the agencies and LA's work differently. Our LA specified certain courses that we needed to complete before going to panel, which suited me fine. They were all classroom based, apart from one which was done online. Dont think they form part of the actual assessment as such, they just needed to be completed. I actually wanted to do lots more (whilst I'm doing nothing), but was told I had to do the others after approval, and in the first 12 months of fostering. I have been really bored, as all courses now completed, and waiting to go to panel this month. Just want to get started!!!! Counting the days.

newfostermummy enjoy the peace and quiet while you have it! Things will change very fast

Hi newfostermummy I don't mind the courses in my opinion the more the better it's all experience. Have you had your panel date yet???? I bet your very excited to be starting fostering!!

Just had to check and sign my CRB form does this mean I'm on the road to starting!!!!!

Hi Catfriend. Yes I enjoyed the courses and wanted to do more. My panel is in 2 weeks, so the nerves are beginning to kick in. I have come so far and been waiting so long, I am dreading anything going wrong. Yes I cant wait to get started, but am a little anxious at the same time. When you read some of the other threads about the reality of FC, it can be a little daunting. Now informed that with our LA, we also have to go before a "childrens panel", children that have been in foster care, for an informal meeting and discussion, so got that to attend as well before my final panel.

I think the delays in processing foster carers and getting them to panel is due to the national shortage of social workers. The assessment is a big piece of work and if there are insufficient sws experienced and competent enough to carry out the assessment, there will be delays. I think though that you should ask the sw what is causing the delay. I am always surprised how many MNs don't ask sws questions like this. If it is to do with staff shortages they should tell you this, rather than leave you in some sort of limbo land.

Ooo newfostermummy it's all go for you at the minute I'm sure your going to make a great FC:) let us know how everything goes at panel. I've never heard of "children's panel" is this something all LA do?

Nananina I agree with you. Not enough sw to deal with the amount of work load. I'm going to phone up at the end of the week if I haven't heard anything.

Still trying to phone sw but we keep missing each other!!! Still waiting to be allocated a ssw hence why I'm eager for the phone call!!!