How useful are your social workers in supporting?

[BBQcentral]

It can't just be me tearing my hair out?

When my parents fostered ( only stopped 3 years ago) I would say they regularly pulled their hair out.

Usually when they had to explain all over again to a new social worker every few months who smiled, nodded, made notes and went away ......

Repeat every few months!

We're LA with a fantastic supervising social worker. We have fostered for many years and have been very lucky in that we have had a very low turnover in SSWs. we have always worked well with whoever we've had and felt listened to. If you are not getting on with yours then I'd suggest asking for someone else. It is very important to be well supported.

I am with an agency. Had an excellent ssw for first couple of years but when she was promoted we had someone terrible. We gave the agency an ultimatum that either she went or we would leave and they changed her and once again we have someone excellent who supports us and fights our corner when necessary.

I have had three excellent SSW in the three years we have been fostering. We went through a very traumatic year last year (DP was very sick and has ultimately been diagnosed with a rare, aggressive, terminal cancer) and our team have been amazingly supportive meaning we could continue fostering. The CSW side, on the other hand, were not so good but I think we are through that now.

Gives me a little hope. Mine is making so many core mistakes it's maddening. They haven't yet even managed to spell my name right despite it being a one syllable, traditional first and surname

There’s just so many changes.
Our child is very challenging and every time we or our child gets a new Sw they come up with ‘new ‘ideas of how to manage the behaviour.
It seems like they don’t read any notes about us.
Between us we’ve had 19 SW in 8 years and I’ve lost count of the number of students who have breezed in and out.
They all come in full of enthusiasm but that soon goes. Luckily we have good family for support as SW are mostly a waste of time.

Completely useless. Though we have had decent ones in the past. Over the past few years it has been people directly from university who really don't have the life experience for the role and do not last long. Had 4 come and gone in the last year alone.