A little disappointed

[Missnic07]

I'm really interested in fostering and was hoping to begin the process when I move house this year.
However I was talking to a foster parent from my LA (who I'd ideally foster with) and she said it has been really slow, she's got a placement who is due to leave soon and she hasn't had another placement for the last 6 months.
She said there 8 homes in our LA with no placements at the moment as it is so slow.
Now, she is only able to accept 0-4year placements and if I was approved I'd like to be approved for 0-10. I'd have 2 spare bedrooms so I could take sibling groups if needed. Do you think that would make any difference?
I suppose I could always take the training as that will take around a year I'm guessing and see what's happening then.
She said she thinks it's so slow as now social services can't just remove children, they have to work with their families first?

I'm not overly shocked, roughly what part of the country are you?

I don't know why it is so slow for your friends, the LAs are crying out for in-house carers. I think taking up to 10 year olds and sibling groups will definitely help and you may as well start the process. Good luck.

We are currently looking of waits up to 6 months in our LA unless you take teenagers. It seems to be quite widespread at the moment!

Im the OP, just changed my username :)

I'm in the North East x

I got an information pack through the post and it said the wait would be 8 months x

Hi, I'm in the North too and although I know baby carers who've been without placements for over 6 months I haven't experienced a wait myself. I have had to diversify from my original preference of babies only (under 12 months) to 0-7 and sibling groups though.

My LA are also trying to work with families rather than bring children into care, and the number of children currently being looked after has reduced quite considerably from what I've heard. Off the record our support workers are saying that this wont last - but that when things become untenable at home for these children their problems will be much more difficult than what a lot of our foster carers are used to seeing.

I would definitely begin the process when you move, because even though you've been given a wait time of 8 months that usually means from when you're allocated a social worker - and that can take months itself!

Are you saying you're disappointed that less families need to be disrupted by having the Local Authority take care of their children?

I can't think but that you've not really thought of how this impacts on the families who would be your potential 'pools' of children to foster.

Every foster should be cock-a-hoop if their services were no longer needed because children could stay in their families safely.

Lougle, I'm not sure if your post is directed at me or the original poster.

I'd answer that of course I'd be delighted if my "services were no longer needed because children could stay in their families safely". Unfortunately the children often aren't safer staying at home - it's just that the money is no longer there to remove them from dangerous situations. I'm currently caring for a little boy very damaged by an extra 10 months at home, who will now struggle to be adopted because he's 10 months older starting the adoption process in addition to the damage incurred whilst ostensibly under the "close eye" of social workers, who simply didn't have time to visit as often as they promised.

How things change in the mid 70s no support workers very few contact centres, Most parents visits were in our home , nice atmosphere longer contacts , no social worker, after may be a few months parents did parenting training , observed by nursery staff of health worker. Most children did go back too their family's, who were very appreciative . Most had a good experience not leaving a soured taste regards too fostering.

How things change in the mid 70s no support workers very few contact centres, Most parents visits were in our home , nice atmosphere longer contacts , no social worker, after may be a few months parents did parenting training , observed by nursery staff of health worker. Most children did go back too their family's, who were very appreciative . Most had a good experience not leaving a soured taste regards too fostering.

Scarlett I think Lougle's comment was probably aimed at me.
I obviously didn't make myself clear, I'm disappointed because I've wanted to do this for a long time and help children that need a safe loving home. If I thought that they were going to be safe at home and the family get the help they need then I'd be all for it. Unfortunately I feel this probably isn't that case, and that they're being left in an unsafe environment because of funding issues.

Thanks for your positive reply though.

I have to agree with scarlet5tyger not only are children being put in a safer environment to late. Siblings are frequently being separated because of how more adoptable and less damaged a younger fc is. It is a heartbreaking experience to go through when moving on siblings separately.
Our LA is also working closely with families which sounds fantastic in theory but does it mean that some children are going to be exposed to more and end up a case of too little too late.

There have been changes in the legal proceedings for removing children which had caused a delay. It is thought that there will be a change when the backlog with these cases are dealt with.

What changes in legal proceedings have been made related to removing children from care. I don't know of any.

Parenting and viability assessments that's w

Parenting and viability assessments that would have been done during proceedings previously now have to be done before issuing rather than just the core assessments.

This means that social workers are playing catch up Re bs is also causing a lot of plans to change