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Fostering

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

Original poster

Private Fostering advice please?

24 replies

Fire Action · 03/10/2022 15:46

I currently have my daughters friend staying with us and she can't return home. she is 17 and has been here about 3-4 weeks.

she is in contact with the local organisation that supports homeless young people. they have moved alot slower than I thought they would and haven't given her any real advice yet. I spoke with them today and it seems like they are going to refer to social services. I said I was happy for her to stay with us if she is going to get put in foster care. but I could really do with financial help for a bed and living costs for her (I am on a decent wage but always run out of money a week before payday as it is!)

I am not a trained foster carer so I wouldn't get any kind of allowance for that. is anyone in a similar situation? can I claim anything? or can she? I have helped her put in a claim for universal credit and waiting for appointment for that

TIA

OP posts:
Original poster
Fire Action · 03/10/2022 18:51

bump

OP posts:
FivePotatoesHigh · 03/10/2022 18:51

Would recommend getting this moved to the fostering board - you should get good advice on there.

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 03/10/2022 18:53

She’s 17 and she’s safe. Realistically this is not a scenario social services are getting involved in as she’s so close to adulthood. What is her financial situation? Is she working? Are you charging her board? I think that’s where your money is coming from.

TeenDivided · 03/10/2022 18:55

Citizens Advice may be able to advise perhaps?

FivePotatoesHigh · 03/10/2022 18:55

PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 03/10/2022 18:53

She’s 17 and she’s safe. Realistically this is not a scenario social services are getting involved in as she’s so close to adulthood. What is her financial situation? Is she working? Are you charging her board? I think that’s where your money is coming from.

Social services still have an obligation to her as she’s under 18.

OP I would trust advice from Fostering over Chat.

nokitchen · 03/10/2022 18:56

It takes months to be approved as a foster carer. When is she 18?

bellac11 · 03/10/2022 18:58

Its not 'private fostering' unless she has disabilities, as she is over 16

Does she want to be 'in care'? Has she completed a joint housing assessment?

Social services would only have a duty to her if her needs are not being met and/or she wants to be accommodated

TeenDivided · 03/10/2022 19:02

I think you'll have more success helping her claim benefits and then charging rent. Do educational maintenance allowances still exist? Is she still in education? Can her school/college advise at all?

MuggleMe · 03/10/2022 19:43

If she's still in education do her parents still get child benefit? Would they give it to you? Too old for private fostering, no payments then anyway.

boomoohoo · 03/10/2022 20:06

I'm a social worker and there's been recent legislation changes on this - she can be accommodated by the local authority under section 22 of the children's act - you will undergo an IVA - a brief assessment including dbs and GP checks. Yu should get some fostering allowance for her although I'm not sure how much. Call social services and explain the situation, as someone said, they still have a duty of care towards her until shes 18

Original poster
Fire Action · 03/10/2022 21:39

thanks for all the replies, although they are a bit contradictory so I'm a bit confused!

to answer questions; she dropped out of college and currently is working very part time. cash in hand. I don't think she is in the right headspace to think about proper jobs, training, college etc. I won't charge her rent!

I don't know if her parents get child allowance. I doubt it? I can't ask them. dad is aggressive/violent.

joint housing assessment? I don't think so, I don't know what that is. she wants to go into care if it means that she will get Independant accomodation when she is 18. she is 18 in July

her needs aren't really being met, in that I am providing accomodation, food etc but I can't afford to give her an allowance at all. also she is sharing a bed with my daughter..I can move into the sitting room and let her have my room if we know they can't give her accomodation until she is 18 and if I could get some money to buy a sofa bed

OP posts:
Original poster
Fire Action · 03/10/2022 21:43

thanks #@boomoohoo I will look into all those things

I don't seem to be able to make useful contact with SS so far. but I spoke to the organisation that she has been talking to, today. they said they are going to do a SS referral so hopefully that will help

what is IVA?

OP posts:
Original poster
Fire Action · 03/10/2022 21:43

I didn't know there is a fostering board. how do I get my post moved?

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 03/10/2022 21:43

Through personal experience social services only find a solution if they are homeless. The solution is usually housing in the local YMCA. They will try to pressurise you into offering temporary (not very temporary) accommodation, but will offer no funding.

Minimalme · 03/10/2022 21:46

boomoohoo · 03/10/2022 20:06

I'm a social worker and there's been recent legislation changes on this - she can be accommodated by the local authority under section 22 of the children's act - you will undergo an IVA - a brief assessment including dbs and GP checks. Yu should get some fostering allowance for her although I'm not sure how much. Call social services and explain the situation, as someone said, they still have a duty of care towards her until shes 18

This is good advice - contact SS yourself.

You deserve help here op. You are doing something amazing helping this girl who would otherwise be in a very vulnerable position.

It is so important to help young people especially when they haven't got the support of their family.

There is a charity which solely funds beds for children. I can't remember their name but give them a Google. You could possibly apply for a bunk bed for the girls?

reallyworriedjobhunter · 03/10/2022 21:52

The bed charity is called Zarrach.

Can you also ask your local community FB group or local church for help with finding an extra bed?

kitcat15 · 03/10/2022 21:53

She might be better off signing her own section 20.... lots more benefits and financial incentives available to you if you turn 18 as an official CIC

Original poster
Fire Action · 03/10/2022 22:33

thanks for moving my thread MNHQ!
thanks for the bed charity name, I will investigate
I am confused about CIC? and section 20? will SS explain all this?

OP posts:
kitcat15 · 03/10/2022 23:18

CIC is child in care....used to be known as LAC ( looked after child).....a section 20 is usually signed by a parent when they agree to habd over their child .... however I have known 16 and 17 year old sign their own when they've wanted to leave the family home due to various reasons.... she might have left it a bit late tho if she's nearly 18

boomoohoo · 04/10/2022 08:17

Happy for you to PM me op. Different local authorities will have different offers around this, don't let SS fob you off with anything, kick up a fuss - you and she both deserve support with this, you're caring for a traumatised child, as someone upthread said - you're doing an incredible thing but you shouldn't be left to deal with it alone. You would be classed as a kinship carer. First stop - call your local mash (multi agency safeguarding hub) which is part of children's services.

An IVA stands for initial viability assessment - a light touch of a fuller fostering assessment. it would be 1 or 2 visits to your house, maybe 2-4 hours of your time in total. Dbs on all adults in home, gp check for you, child protection check for your children.

Original poster
Fire Action · 04/10/2022 09:28

@boomoohoo thank you, I appreciate that. I will see what they say today and I will ask about MASH. It's really hard to understand the relationship and boundaries between the organisations. it might have been an error to have been relying on the organisation she is in contact with, to sort everything out. I am also trying to balance help/support with not taking over and making decisions on her behalf

I had better start cleaning up, house is a bit of a mess!

OP posts:
boomoohoo · 05/10/2022 08:40

Yeah it sounds like they've been a bit lax with making a referral to SS. Basically SS are the ones with the statutory duty of care to all children under 18, to protect, safeguard and assess any needs. When is she 18 op? If its next week they probably won't do anything. Though if it's months away they should get on it. A SW will be the lead professional and so should be coordinating all the other services, including getting her a suitable bed etc. They can be slow though so it is unfortunately a case of the louder you shout the more likely you are to be heard / responded to.

Don't worry about your house :) unless there are huge environmental hazards like rats :()

Original poster
Fire Action · 05/10/2022 12:34

I think you are correct @boomoohoo . she has had difficulty getting hold of the person that she was supposed to be dealing with, he didn't keep appointments or pick up his calls etc. I helped her phone last Friday/this Monday (?terrible memory!) and he wasn't there so we spoke with his manager. he has taken her case on, phoned her back the next day to say he was making the SS referral, meeting SS on Thursday and will phone her on Friday about next steps!! might pick your brain when we know what is said on friday

I think she might just have been unlucky with the person that she was in contact with first? that said the Google reviews are TEEEERRIBLE!

She is 18 in July, so 10 months ishy

I'm good at shouting loudly 😁

OP posts:
boomoohoo · 05/10/2022 17:09

Oh good to hear @Fire Action !

I work with kinship carers, and am always amazed by how generous and selfless they are. She is very lucky to have you op, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get support too, you should get your own sw and she will have her own.. one of thr first documents they will go through is called a delegated authority - which will give you clarity on what decisions you can make on her behalf and what you need to ask the LA about.

Good luck and do come back to me if you need :)

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