Becoming a foster parent: Agency or Local Authority?

[fourlegstwolegs]

Since having my own child I have wanted to help other children. I have just started looking into it all, but am already confused by agencies/local authorities. What are the pros and cons of each?
I have many more questions but will start with this one!

Thanks Nananina

I have had a reply from SW and she sent me a copy of an email from their own dbs dept which said they had chased dbs national who had responded that the check was at the final stage and he had asked them to mark it as urgent (that was 5th Feb so a week ago but still heard nothing). So at least they have sent it off and it is in progress. I would ring DBS myself but as it is my son's application they won't speak to me unless he authorises and he can't do that unless I'm with him to prompt as he has autism and he lives in supported living. The system is silly though as it will be me that will be telling him his details to tell them!

So basically she said I just have to wait now and there is nothing more they can do.It is so annoying!! Thanks for your support though it is good just to tell someone. x

Oh good - my cynicism was obviously misplaced!

I am coming up for retirement, I spent quite a lot of time working towards an SGO for a relative and did the parenting courses to show my commitment along with a library of books trying to understand what I was taking on. Unfortunately I was not successful.

When I retire aged 55 and still quite active and amusing to my nieces and nephews children, my children yet to provide me with grandchildren I thought putting all my previous efforts to good use would be one way of keeping me busy until my husband retires. I do not really want to 'go' to work when I retire and Fostering I think I could put my skills and recent learning to good use. I have requested specific fostering books via my work library

I have read that experience with young children is essential, however this could be a stumbling block unless I could find a job as a part time reading assistant like my two boys had for my current days off. I am quite familiar with the statementing process and have worked in the past with Children as both a nurse and OT assistant, while not being a paediatric variety of either.

Is it worth investigating? My husband is great with children he was a great Dad. He would also like to think he was helping in the process.

Seems LA is the way to go, should I inform the SGO LA or the lA I apply to about the SGO? Will the fact I 'failed' be held against me?

Hi Pixieauntbilly,
I suppose it depends on why the SGO failed. You sound like really strong candidates for fostering and bringing up your own children counts as experience where I work.
Maybe it's worth starting your own thread for this :)

The reason mySGO failed was they thought our family unit, my brother and his daughter, the mother were too close. I had raised questions from the beginning that they did not like, before I realised an SGO was possible. These questions were then held against me. The Guardian was not very nice and I think she came in with an agenda. So my neice was adopted. I can now see why, though not sure why I was urged to proceed.

I may as well just be open about it and see what happens they can only say no.