Disabled Foster Carers

[Ivy222]

I'm looking to hear people's experiences of fostering if you, as a carer, are disabled.

I have two grown up children and am now going down the fostering journey. I am single and disabled and am interested in other people's stories.

I think I just saw your other post and name changed to respond but now cant find it!
I haven't got personal experience with having a disability but was a carer for both a LA and for a voluntary organisation for 15 years ( previous work with Social Services )
In my 15 years I did not see any carer with an obvious disability. I can go further and say that any ill health of a carer was frowned upon with the response that a carer needed to be in tip top health in order to meet every need of every child. In my LA we did have some obese carers which surprised me and we also had carers who smoked ( but were not allowed to care for under 5's) We also had very very elderly carers.
I guess it would very much depend on how your disability impacted on your daily life, whether you could run about with a football, get to very single school meeting on time etc etc
I know you don't want advise and I know you have lots of experience with Social Work but just thought I'd let you know what happened in the places that approved me. I'm pretty sure people with disabilities would have applied in the 15 years but no-one became a foster carer

Thank you for your response previousfostercarer, that's very interesting. I understand why ill health is an issue because it would mean you are unable to care for a child properly but a disability is quite different and it is strange why there are so few disabled foster carers around. It isn't important to be able to run around kicking a football, in my opinion, that doesn't make a good parent but all the other stuff is important.
I'm doing some research on why there are so few disabled foster carers, there are many parents that do the most amazing job of being a parent while having a disability, myself included lol!
Thanks again for your honest response.

I have been a foster carer for 8 years and have never met a carer with an obvious disability.
Lots of the children who come into care have hidden disabilities, ours has adhd and asd.
When a child comes into care their social worker picks the carer who they think will be the most suitable for the child.
My guess is that they may think that a carer with a disability may not be able to cope so they don’t choose them.
One of the Sw we had told us that when she was given the list of carers any who had a failed placement went straight to the bottom. I imagine it’s because they are so overworked they want as ‘perfect’ as possible.
If this is the case, any disabled carers would not get many placements and would then leave.
I may be completely wrong, but just throwing out an idea.

This is an interesting post and question. The assessment to become a Carer is very detailed. The Regulations talk about “Fitness to Foster” and all carers will have a medical by their GP and then overseen by the Agencies Medical advisor who will also give their opinion.
Of course, disabilities are varied and this needs assessing in regard to fitness to foster and the impact this will have on any child placed.
There are differences between the medical and social work model of intervention and how this may impact on evidence gathering for an assessment
It is important to consider these together for PFC’s as this may offer evidence for panel which will assist in their approval rather than be negative as may be thrown up by a medical.
An assessment should consider all aspects of someone’s ability to foster and not just a disability. I have personally assessed a deaf person before and this was very successful.
That said, as an organisation, we do not have any carers with significant disabilities. I would also add that we do not get many enquiries from people with disabilities – I genuinely cannot remember the last time we did. So perhaps it is not about the lack of carers with disabilities in fostering, but if as a section of society, they rule themselves out (consciously or otherwise)

Thank you for this input JacobMalloy02, it's really interesting to see it from the point of view of a professional. My opinion is that it depends on a person's capability as to whether they are able to foster or not, along with many other factors. With such a huge shortage of foster carers it would be good if more people with disabilities, that have the capability, would consider fostering.

But Jacob is imagine most deaf people would not consider themselves to have a disability

I'd

Christmasgone, why do you say that? It's an interesting view.

I guess because I've known two family where both parents were deaf. They did not consider themselves to have a disability. I believe they saw their non hearing as just another 'normal'
It's something that's stuck with me

Following this with interest. Agree with the Deaf comment, it’s basically a whole different culture (lots on limping chicken about it).

It would make claiming something such as pip for yourself tricky I would think. (If you need care yourself can you give care? Pip is such a minefield.)

I think many disabled people don't see themselves as disabled, as in the social model of disability which basically means that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference.
Unfortunately if you have a disability and need to claim benefits then it is an absolute minefield with how the DWP expect you to be. Personal Independence Payments are supposed to be awarded to people so that they can afford aids and adaptations to help them live independently not for care, that is paid for out of a different budget. I agree that if you can't look after yourself it would be difficult to look after a child. However, there are many different types of fostering, an older child/young person or mother and baby or even respite. It would also depend on each individual circumstance.

Yes, but it’s also specifically about what care/assistance you need thus the care component. It apparently comes up a lot in pip interviews (unfairly) where mothers of young babies are asked how they manage to care for their child.

Sorry, should have said, I have a few disabilities myself and thanks to part of it all I can’t have children. Fostering may be something I’d look into the future but I do wonder if they’d even consider me which is why this thread piqued my interest.

Unfortunately many parents that have disabilities have to be even more perfect because they are being watched so much, I have two children and became disabled while they were growing up, I have managed fine....ok it was difficult as I was also doing it on my own and with a child with autism but wouldn't change it for the world.
I am going down the fostering route now and it is looking positive with certain fostering agencies. Again it depends on your circumstances and what kind of fostering you want to do.

That’s brilliant to hear. I hope it all goes well for you.

Hi I’m a disabled Fostercarer. Don’t want to post too much on here for obvious reasons but happy to PM you if you want any information...

I'm not disabled , but do have some mobility issues and problems with both knees. I work for an IFA and we have to pass the paediatric first aid every 3 years. I really struggled last year with the physical part of the 2 day course, particularly getting onto the floor. I know already that if things haven't improved for me in the next 18 months I may have to give up fostering as I won't have a valid first aid certificate.

Anybody else in this situation?

Hi Shopaholicz, that's interesting. I haven't yet come across anyone being turned down for not holding a first aid qualification. Do you foster younger children?

Hi Ivy, No we've mostly had teenagers through. We currently have 2 long term placements, siblings age 8 and 14 and a 17 year old. In the IFA I work for all foster carers have to pass the paediatric first aid qual every 3 years, without exception. I thought everyone did! I have a couple of friends who foster for local authority and they have to pass the same qual.

Our child is disabled ABI quite sever. Just attended play and sighn group , (age 4) other children were a mix as were parents abled and disabled. Disability's was not an issue learn and share off each other.
So can and does work. In most areas.

I know one disabled foster carer, who like the OP had successfully brought up her own child as a lone parent before applying. When others on here say they've never met one, I wonder whether that's because, as the slogan goes "not all disabilities are visible". This friend would likely really struggle to kick a ball around, but few of her friends or colleagues would know that.

Hi fasparent, this is about the foster carers being disabled not the child, thanks.

Hi TheLoraxISpeakForTheTrees, my disability is 'invisible' on some days, depending on how i'm feeling so you could be right. I think many people has misconceptions about what a disability is and seem to think you have to be able to kick a ball around to become a foster carer lol! I have a son and daughter and neither were interested in sport so it was never an issue to bringing up two amazing people.
I have sent you a PM, thanks :)

Hi Ivy, have been succumbed too wheelchair recently , My children are very helpful both old and young being disabled themselves understand and are very supportive. Works both way's as it should can happen any time too any one.