Lack of placements

[Mosh2690]

Been through panel 7 months now and all we have had is respite which are few and far between we have went with an ifa now we are doubting out decision. There is still a massive recruitment for foster carers and yet we have not had a single referral for 15 weeks? Any advice welcome

in our LA, there are LA carers without placements at the moment - so an IFA would only get a placement if all the LA carers had placements. Our foster buddies - 5 years experience, take siblings - havent had a placement for 7 months. Another carer I know ended placement in Feb, has had one newborn baby to stay for less than 2 weeks, nothing else, nothing on horizon.

We were 3 months in, before we got our first placement (LA)

We should be grateful that there are no children needing our services - thats one less child being abused or neglected.

Take a look at the age range you have opted for - there seems to be a constant need for placements for teens, for example. COuld you be more flexible? Could you accommodate more than one?

I'm a newborn carer but have had to extend my age range to 0-7, and siblings, to get placements. I foster for my LA.

What Dwells is saying would be lovely if it were true (ie less children needing help) but sadly its more that children are being left at home who would once have been removed as decisions to remove (iin my LA at least) are now made by those who hold the purse strings rather than the social workers dealing with the child.

Mosh do you go to support group? Are your colleagues getting placements? What does your SSW say?

what Scarlet5tyger says i true - the purse strings are indeed tightly held. If a LA can avoid using an IFA, they will.

One of our SW trainers said that changes in legislation also mean it is more difficult to remove children and also that SWs are encouraged to keep the family together by offering support to the families, rather than taking the kids.

They are also identifying kids in need earlier, so intervening earlier, and putting help in place more quickly.

We have been through panel with an age range of 0-18 with 0-11 our preferred age we have 2 spare rooms therefore can accomadate 2 children In bunks and another in a single bed in the other room. It would be an ideal world were children did not need foster care but in the real world like people have said these children have been left with people who can't care for them through one reason or another and older kids over the age of 16 are placed In bed and breakfasts were they are not getting the family environment they deserve

Join Foster Carers With Empty Beds on FB for more in depth discussion on this very topic - you will find you are not alone! We waited 14 months for our first placement and that was LA! Shocking isn't it!

We are LA carers approved 7 weeks ago and have heard nothing, on a recent training course there were loads of us who had no placement and a few LA carers who have been approved more than 6 months with no placements. With big gaps like this in LA's private agency people are going to be worse i imagine.

Work for an IFA. The only new carers who are getting immediate placements with us are those who are working on the sole placements scheme, which takes very challenging children who have come from residential homes (which are being closed down).