Just passed panel....few questions to ask

[1Mumwhowingsit]

Hi everyone, we have just passed panel to foster under 5s short term.
We wanted to do emergency too but our social worker said we should start off just doing short term.

My questions are, what can I do now that’s useful whilst I wait for that very important phone call!?
And also who phones to say there is a child who needs us, will it be our social worker? Just wondering because she’s off for a week now!!

Finally, do short term carers get called at the weekends or is that just emergency carers? Are short term carers just called Mon-Fri 9-5? Sorry for the silly questions just so excited to start this journey

Are you local authority. Generally if social worker is not free placements will ring.

There is nothing you can do rally to prepare for under 5s. Read up on attachment. Recommendation for babies under 1 year for instance sleep, routines, bonding.

Can't say enough about reading up on attachment though..

This also could be quite a wait for your first good luck.

We were approved short term and emergency aged 0-18 approx 8 years ago.
Our first was a child aged 6, adoption was breaking down. They arrived about a week after panel and stayed 3 months. They went back to adoptive parents.
Our second was aged 4 came a couple of weeks later.
They are still here over 7 years later.
Now long term.
We never intended to have a child long term, just wanted to foster a couple of years.
This child is now diagnosed ADHD and ASD.
Fostering is unlike any other ‘job’
You never know what’s round the corner. It’s hard to plan. Just take every day as it comes.
Good luck on your new journey, there’ll be ups and downs but hopefully it’s not too bumpy for you.

so 1Mumwhowingsit what happened ? !

Sorry, haven’t been on here for a while!

We are still waiting for our first little one. It’s been 5 months now starting to think I made a mistake giving up work to foster full time! We have a baby coming to us this weekend for respite, only for a few days though

@1Mumwhowingsit Congratulations on passing panel, you must be over the moon as well as being relieved. We are still doing our form F but can you tell me how much emphasis is made on you finances? We were not asked for bank statements, just a figure of how much credit card or loan debt we had. So i'm wondering if they go more into it on your panel date.

1Mumwhowingsit are you fostering with a LA or IFA?