Mother and baby fostering

[Annette1966]

Hello
I was wondering does anyone else on here do mother and baby fostering. I am a foster carer with my local council. I am registered for anyone but with a preference for under 9 and mother and baby. I have just spent 6 months without a placement. I think because I'm the only mother and baby placement they have. I received no payment during this time and was wondering if any other councils or private agencies provide their carers with a retainer. Would also welcome any feedback form other mother and baby foster carers as I don't know any. Many thanks

Why would being the only p&b carer mean you were so long without a placement? That's awful! Have you considered going to an agency instead?

I think they were keeping me on standby just in case although they insist they weren't. I just wondered if I should be asking for a small retainer and I've never thought about an agency.

I know a lot of experienced carers are without placements at the moment and expect new carers will be waiting even longer. There are several "baby" carers (0-5) who've not had a placement since before Christmas.

Agency carers are likely to face even longer gaps between placements - I know a couple of agency carers who are now moving to local authorities despite the lower pay. They don't get retainers between placements either so can't afford the long gaps.

WRT being a mother and baby carer this shouldn't stop you being offered other placements - unless the LA KNOW they will shortly need a place for this reason. I think it's much more likely that more support is being put in at home meaning that Mother and Baby placements are needed more rarely (as are baby placements in general).

Do you have a support worker? Have you been attending support groups? I find out much more info from my support groups than through official channels!

Also, you can try asking for a retainer but after yesterday's budget cuts I know my own LA are going to struggle to pay us when we Have a child in place, never mind when we don't!

I have also just had the longest gap yet between placements! It is hard when foster carer fortnight is promoting recruitment so much as well! I

How much space do you need for M&B fostering? I am interested but our only spare room is a small single.

Hi, I am surprised to hear mother and baby carers are without children.

I know from our agency perspective that these carers go very quickly - we rarely have vacancies for M&B.

From this, I assumed the LA carers who are approved for this would be used very quickly. Our experience from our referrals team is that babies are still being taken into care both with and without parents. This is the knock on effect of baby P all those years ago.

It sounds like an honest discussion with your SSW is needed. How about asking them what single children have you been considered for and why were you not placed with? I would be surprised by any LA keeping carers on hold.

we do not pay retainers and unsure is any agency or LA do?

Thanks everyone. You need a room big enough for a single bed and a cot, baby equipment plus obvious wardrobe space etc., for two people. You also have to be aware bobajob that mother and baby is 24 hours a day often requiring you to be with them for the first 3/4 weeks without any sort of a break. Where you go they go and where they go you go. Reports are daily and if a court process going on can take a few hours a day to write up. They are however, despite some being very hard work and tiring very rewarding. Some authorities require extra experience or courses and often no other placements as. They require so much time from you. Have a word with your social worker!

There has been a few , alternative options which have been introduced, recently and other innovations for Mother and Baby, which are regarded as more cost effective and appropriate too this group.
One is NHS community nurse partnerships who have a 3 Year continual support plan (cost £3000) where they support mum from conception until child is 2and a half, Help with housing,benefits, support mum and child with frequent visit's , is staffed by midwife's and health workers, was involved with initial trails , is now available National.

You can read about NHS Initiative article in New's by YVONNE ROBERTS Journalist. Just Google her name. Article report 29th of April "Bringing up baby new hope for troubled teenage mother's" a good read.

Thanks for the link. What a great idea! At last trying to sort out the route of the problem. What government has failed to realise is that if families get lots of support sooner they can save money in the long run. Hopefully these families will contribute to society and so will their children. Of course there will be some people for whatever reasons cannot cope but if it helps just a few it's worth it.

One other Initiative involves foster parents working alongside special support agency's and family's of children, baby's who have returned too their parent's, offering support in the way of home visits, and advice, many foster parents have already developed trust and rapport with many family's , this then continues after care until such time the plan put in place
works.

Hi there, I am new to mumsnet. I found this topic very interesting. As sorry as I am for the person who has no placement as I understand that no-one can live on fresh air, I feel the point should also be made that perhaps if no placement has been made, no placement is needed, this for me should be something to rejoice about. I had never heard of mother and baby placement until someone I know potentially may have needed it. Generally it is a very good idea and I understand it must be very time consuming and take great dedication from the person who is the 'carer'. As to a retainer, I cannot comment, I ask if the council who use the carers services could utilise their skills in any other way while they have no placement. Some of the foster carers I know have a spouse who provides a second income which obviously doesn't affect the carer quite so badly, but if you are single and a fosterer this must be a dilemma.