35% of fostering households have had an allegation made against them.

[Surburbia]

After researching to the nth degree all aspects of becoming a foster carer, my latest research (spurred by another poster about allegations made) on the prevalence of allegations and the devastating impact they have on foster carers has made us feel that fostering is probably not for us.

I've not given up completely on the idea, but the disgrace outlined in this report by the fostering network of sw dept providing no support, Section 42s being made leading to potential criminal records,

• and at the very least spending hours at police stations - with no context of previous allegations/threats to make allegations by foster child being taken into account. Plus a general culture in the SW profession of protecting their own backs and just dumping the foster carer to deal with it on their own - well, it's highly off-putting.

As one vindicated accused says in the report: if people actually knew how common allegations were and the horrific impact they have on a family (because the child/teen is always believed and in the meantime the investigation - which can take months, and up to a year and half in one of the cases described - will lead to your foster kids and possibly your own kids being removed and no pay being given during the investigation leading often to financial distress and marriage breakdown) they would never enter foster caring.

www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/sites/default/files/content/allegationsreport-understandingtheimpactofallegationsmadeagainstfostercarersinwales.pdf

I'd be interested in current foster carer's views. I'm astounded by this report. The system needs to be overhauled. I've never come across a profession that is so wholly unprotected and exploitative as foster caring. What a depressing read.

I am not a Foster carer but lives in 12 different Foster homes out of all 12 I had 1 abusive Foster parent, he broke down the bedroom door grabbed me by the hair and dragged me down the stairs all because I told my social worker they were not hanging my lunch on the washing line ( to stop me skipping school where I was beat up daily they though it would be best if I didn't take lunch and walked the 2 miles home on my lunch break get my food and walk back to school after) the other 11 were brilliant and understanding but only ever temporarily until I had a permanent home, some Foster carers don't give a shit but only a few on the other side I know kids that said untruths to get moved if they didn't like the home rules or structure that some expected you to do straight away and kind of force you to there way

Forgot to say all my Foster carers had a support worker who was just a phone call away if required

One of the problems with working with a LA is that your sw who is there to support you is working for the same organisation as the sw of the child who makes the allegation. Thus you will not get any support at all. At least with an agency there is one step removed. HAving said that the agency may not want to take a strong stance against the LA opinion for worry that the LA will not want to make further placements with the agency. It is ESSENTIAL that foster carers have the protection of their union (NUPFC) or an organisation such as fostersupport.co.uk who can provide you with protection, guidance and support. You have to be a member BEFORE the allegation takes place. I am dubious about fostering network as it is funded by LAs and ifas. It has to be better to have someone independent of the organisation you are in conflict with.

This is a useful article. Top 10 tips to avoid unfounded allegations.

fosterwiki.com/wiki/top-10-tips-for-allegations/?fbclid=IwAR2wKHozorkIkMWR1NgD6QqSZFx469hLlCoJnrRh_31DnSIZ-AIajASlX6k

Thanks for the link which I have just read. Do you find it a strain being completely 'professional' when you have kids in your own home. Easy to be professional 'at work' but when your 'work' is in your home and 24/7, I imagine it becomes exhausting. Can you ever relax?

The article I posted had some pretty bad stories about agencies. Is this an issue that bothers you @f0stercarer?

It's completely put me off as even an allegation - according to the report - can leave you with a police record, or can it? Remember the poster who was rejected for fostering because an allegation she slapped her ex-husband - though unproven - was on her record?

As a man in particular (thinking of my husband and visiting sons) I would be very anxious about sexual abuse allegations being made.

We’ve been thorough an allegation and it was horrific although we were well supported by the LA. In our case the child was known for making the same allegation against other carers and it was a case of remembering something that had happened to them but not remembering who so each new carer they accused of the same allegation. We were given advice to make sure 2 people were present during bath time (where the allegation focussed) and when it eventually came up we had logs showing when bath time happened and who was there. There was an investigation but no further action and the child remained with us.

@Madwife123 - how long did the investigation take? How old was the child? It had occurred to me that unfounded allegations were perhaps less common in younger children but your tale of 'bath time' suggests this is not the case.

@Dddccc - why don't kids just tell their fc they want to move rather than make allegations? Why would a fc object to them moving when they can easily fill their room with the next child? Genuine question.
Also why did you move 12 times? Was it your choice?

Forgot to say all my Foster carers had a support worker who was just a phone call away if required

As a long term foster carer for some decades I am afraid I have never found a local authority SSW to be an actual support. I believe the S stands for SUPERVISING social worker rather than SUPPORTING. When any kind of accusation is made, or indeed anything that the child's SW may raise, the SSW is employed by and will SUPPORT the local authority. Always.

Sometimes the children make the allegations as they think they will go home.
I know of carers who’s fc have told them their parents have told them to make allegations or to hurt their birth children or pets in the hope that they will be returned home.
If allegations are made the whole family can be brought into it. If one of the carers is working in a job with vulnerable people their employers may be notified.
We have never had an allegation made about us but if it happened I would stop fostering immediately. I have met other carers who it has happened to, sometimes over something and nothing and they said they had no support at all.

Wow I had no idea this was so prevalent, I had dreams of fostering once my kids were older.
It has totally put me off.

@Surburbia The child was 3. The child genuinely didn’t understand who had done this and associated it with everyone. It wasn’t a malicious allegation at all. Investigation was a few months.

We were supported but I think a huge part of that was because this child was known for making this allegation against every adult they came across. If it had have been a new allegation I don’t think we would have been treated the same.

@Pinkspecs

Wow I had no idea this was so prevalent, I had dreams of fostering once my kids were older. It has totally put me off.

Same .

In my experience as a foster carer, the allegations I have heard about have generally come from the parents or someone other than the child. One couple I knew had their world torn apart by a school claiming an injury on the child had to have come from the foster carers. It was later proved that the injury had happened at school. In another case a parent complained about a bruise on their baby and it was later proved that the bruise happened at contact with the parents. In both those cases the child was whipped away from the foster carers for the investigation and although the carers were then proved not guilty in any way the children were not returned to them. I found that heartbreaking.

That said, I’ve fostered for 7 years and not had an allegation against me other than a ‘we need to speak to the kids because birth family claims the kid’s have said they’re not happy with you’ but that was dealt with very quickly.

Hi I have looked after my eldest grandchild for nearly five years full time now. Recent events I have had to take in another two of my grandchildren three and one yr olds, apparently my eldest grandchild made allegations that when she fights with her three years old cousin both myself and my husband smack them, (which I can say with my hand in my heart we do not)
However my yr old grandson is just new to walking and falls he has some bruising to his head where he falls I contacted the sw and sent photos they then issued a section 42 of which we had no idea what this was and what come if that was that they are normal child bruises but we need to supervise them more
Then apparently my three yr old grand daughter who can barley speak told a family support worker we smack her (again untrue) we believe she has repressed what we are being accused of as you can imaging our household is very upset and feel our lives have been turned Ipswich down
We have now had sw come to our house and saying they are going to court to take the three and one yr old off us and they are also trying to take my eldest whom has never had any issues
I can not get representation as I don’t have PR for any of the children including my eldest and I have sw coming to the house every day making us strip the kids off so they can check them over which they find very distressful my eldest even asked my son on the phone if he was happy or sad ( how is this right that a four year old should think like that) it’s so wrong

This is tearing us apart and I’m so lost as what I can do to protect my family we are in court on Thursday please does anyone have any advice I scared to even let them out my sight for a second I have even started taking them to the toilet with me

Sorry that should have said repeated not repressed

On what basis are the children with you ? what is the nature of the placement ie is it informal, an sgo or formal foster care placement ?

[quote Madwife123]@Surburbia The child was 3. The child genuinely didn’t understand who had done this and associated it with everyone. It wasn’t a malicious allegation at all. Investigation was a few months.[/quote]
That must have been horrible for you but God that poor child.

My eldest is an informal arrangement but sw now making it formal but now saying we may not get her and she could go into foster care even thou she has lived with us for nearly five years and no issues
My other two grandchildren was taken off their parents and I have them on an interim care order
We have now had them for nearly two months and we have had no support at all apart from accusations of not supervising them enough and they want to take them off us
I can’t get legal aid as I don’t have PR and i can’t get any legal representation as I have no standing in desperate to keep these kids yes they are very boisterous and need lots of attention but I love them and can give them an excellent home as I have for my other grandaughter
Can anyone please advise me on the best way forward I truly am desperate

Reading through these messages can I ask what a fostering support worker is ? Or who this is

I’m a registered nurse too and worried about my PIN

@f0stercarer usually has good advice @Fosternanna77. Hoping they may see this message as I don't have any experience. Sounds like an awful situation.

@ suburbia it is, I just want to look after my grandchildren and keep them out of the system adoption has already been mentioned a few times now and I’m so scared of losing them, they do have bruising but it’s normal child play bruising the paediatric doctors documents that it’s just they need closer supervision which we have now carried out we have converted our conservatory to a play room with foam flooring to help reduce harm especially to the one yr old who falls over all the time

@Fosternanna77 I’m sorry to hear that you’re going through that. How old is the eldest grandchild? Is she aware of the repercussions of those allegations? And why is she making such accusations? The fact that the 4 year old grandson is being asking if he’s happy or sad, makes me wonder, has anyone told the eldest grandchild to say such things? Or does she believe by saying them that she’s somehow being loyal to her parents? I would try to get to the root of those types of accusations especially if you say that they’re not true.