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Fostering

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on fostering.

Original poster

Approved foster carers

37 replies

Simpaul2601 · 08/11/2020 00:00

Hey guys, so my partner and I recently got approved as foster carers and I thought I would start this to create a place where we can help eachother, share ideas and pretty much guide eachother through this adventure. If anyone has any questions, anxieties or worries please post here and we can help eachother. Whether you are at the beginning or the end we would like to hear your opinions. Smile

OP posts:
BB63 · 25/01/2021 20:41

Thank you for your reply really appreciate it. I am going to stick to my gun's and not be pushed into something that does not feel right. I just wanted to hear other foster carer views, so thank you for that. We are in this to make a difference and it's difficult enough when you have to say no without being made to feel guilty.

Cassimin · 26/01/2021 21:02

AmyandPhilipfan* I completely understand what you are going through. We only intended to be short term carers but our fc has been with us 9 years. We went through them being with another carer ( broke down after a month) going home to mum ( was never going to happen) being placed for adoption ( no one came forward) then were told if we didn’t keep them they would go into a residential unit.
We couldn’t have let this happen after we had them for so long so we said that we would change to long term. We now have grandchildren, all of our bc are grown up and we have a 12 year old with autism, adhd and many other diagnosis.
We could never give up on them but it really is hard.

BB63 · 27/01/2021 08:34

Thank you Cassimin for your reply. It's very helpful to hear of other foster carers experience. Keep up the good work you are doing.

strawberriesontheNeva · 01/02/2021 07:26

Hi everybody
Looking for advice for a friend going through the fc process, what happens if the placement just doesn't work out for whatever reason? Is it immediately terminated?

f0stercarer · 01/02/2021 20:58

in my experience this is one of the key advantages of being with an agency. You can serve notice (30 days). NB this could be different with different agencies. This is a key protection against the f/c being given duff information by the LA or having key information being witheld. It also means that if there are problems and you serve notice significnt resources will be directed towards the f/c to try and resolve issues and "rescue" the placement. The agency do not want to "give back" the children as it can harm their relationship with the LA and impact on whether they get further placements from them. The LA do not want to have to find other f/c. Happy to hear from LA f/c about what their position/experience is in a similar situation.

Cassimin · 02/02/2021 14:46

I’m with an agency.
When a child comes into care the LA looks at their own carers and if there’s no one suitable the social worker then looks at agency carers.
When our child came their SW said she had a pile of agency carers to choose from. She told me that if she sees that the carer has had a placement breakdown she immediately puts them to the bottom of the pile.
I don’t know if this is common as the only carers I have known who experienced a placement breakdown have left fostering.
I imagine the SW does this they want to be as certain as they can that they won’t have to put any more time into the placement than is normal.

MrsBobDylan · 04/02/2021 15:20

Hi, how is everyone? We have just finished our online training and refs have gone out and mostly all come back in.

We are feeling quite positive about the process. I read somewhere that there has been a huge rise in the numbers of children taken into care because of Covid so they really need more fc.

f0stercarer · 05/02/2021 09:13

There has also been a big spate of resignations and retirements due to the pressures of having children 24/7 during lockdown and support being thin on the ground. Good luck with the process, hopefully things are working at a fast rate to bring new people through.

Cassimin · 05/02/2021 10:54

I am with an agency. My SW said there has been a drop in children coming into care. Usually this is good news but he fears that it is due to schools not referring neglected children as they are not seeing them and also the SW not wanting to move children around.
Hopefully any vulnerable children still at home and their families are being well supported.

CraftyGin · 07/08/2021 14:25

#MrsBobDylan

Reading back over foster carer threads, it looks like you and I were in similar positions.

We dipped our toe in the water before Christmas, started our training in January. We went to panel early July, and welcomed our young person 17 days later. We are just over two weeks, and tbh, it has been a dream.

What is your situation?

Bexlee · 07/09/2021 21:55

You know life often throws us a curve ball, it’s important to give guidelines for the child you are ready to look after but also thinking from the child’s perspective they don’t have time to pick and choose. Things will never be perfect but those kids need you now. Maybe the social worker is right and yes you might feel a bit of pressure, but imagine how much pressure they feel knowing these children are out there with no carers. If you can open your heart to one please do, it’s not easy, but it can be so rewarding.

mamabee1820 · 10/04/2022 13:44

Hi all,

I had my initial visit this week (via video call) and it went really well, we are just waiting to get assigned a social worker to start the form f/ health and safety. How long did it take you all? This is with Compass fostering, it'd be great to hear all your stories x

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