Fed up should we give up?

[Katieraventimeout]

Really looking for any feedback. We went with an agency it took 10months to get approved ,just when we was finished the assessment 10 visits over 6 months the SW left suddenly and had not filled out any of the report so had to start again so by the time we were approved we were already drained and fed up
We have now been approved from May and only done a 10day respite, we have had 16 referrals which we have said yes too but they all have lead no where quite a few have been emergency calls where we say yes then they call back later to say placement no longer needed very deflating
I really understand referrals don't always lead anywhere and it's about the match but we have offered to do sibblings any age,any amount of time and emergency so very flexible.

I'm finding it hard to remain motivated and really surprised at how quiet we have been I feel like are whole life is on hold.
I have called the LA to see about transferring but they say they would need to re assess us and it would take 6 months.
I suppose I'm looking for advice is it normal to be this quiet any tips on how not to feel in edge all the time like the phone might ring.

Thanks so much

katie no experience from your end, but the fact that you are waiting as a place of safety, for even one child, is worth it.
It sounds like you’re living in your nerves a bit, and the fact that you’re always ‘ on call’ must be difficult. It’s sounds so frustrating though.

Could you do some little bits of self employed work whilst you're waiting? Maybe some PA, dog walking, anything. I work in a similar field and the waiting can really get to people. Carers really benefit from something else that is flexible that they can dip in to when things are quiet.

Thank you for your replies I do a small amount of mobile beauty atm as a self employed job. I think because we have been so quiet I find it even more that I have to stay by the phone as don't want to miss a placement. I'm finding it very frustrating for example last week we had a referral in the morning for newborn twins I said yes they phone at lunch to say check a few things and ask questions so I spend the day staying by the phone and getting our house ready for them to call at 6pm to say placement no longer needed. This has happened a few times.
We really want to do fostering I suppose I just thought we would have regular placements.

Unfortunately this comes with being with an agency. Referrals will go out to everyone but agency carers will always be right at the bottom of the list, they will only use you if they cannot find an ‘in house’ carer.

We are with an agency and we’re vacant from February until August our first year, we do long term placements though so after a long wait (which felt extra long after the journey to panel!) we haven’t been vacant since.

I guess where I am going with this is it will be very frustrating to go through the whole process again but you are likely to be busier with the LA. If not then I hope things pick up which they could well. Try to put it to the back of your mind (I know it’s hard) you can get anything you need at a supermarket so there is no need to prepare or get ready until you know you have a placement on its way! Do your agency do long term care too? Emergency would have me in a permanent state of nerves!

I'm not a carer but social worker. The problem with being agency is that they will try all their in house carers first, in our authority you need to get assistant director approval to go for agency placement, which they don't give until all in house options have been exhausted.

If you want more placements I'd suggest that you go with the LA, paid less however a much more reliable stream of placements.

I agree with pp. Agency carers are much more expensive and will only be used by the LA if absolutely nothing else is available in house.