home/elec/gas etc

[alliwannado]

Hi its me again.... I'll probably be on here daily with a load of questions... lol
The agency I am using said we have to have a full house check at our own expense....... have all electrics/gas checked and get all certificates as required. When your house is checked, what type of things are you told to do/change/add. I am just worried that I will spend hundreds of pounds before even being approved.
Also we have 2 dogs and they have to be checked, what does that entail..... anyone?
This is quite a process isn't it.
Also does anyone get any payments whilst waiting for a child to be place? Its just that if one of us dos give up work to be at home for this then what happens when you don't have a placement?

Well agencies are in it to make money, LA's are in it to provide a service.

I foster for an LA and have never had to provide such things. If the LA wants inspections they can pay for them. We have a visual check each year as part of our review and have to assure SW that our gas boiler is serviced and we don't know of any wiring issues.

Dogs need to have a doggy questionnaire done on them and you will be asked about your reactions to a child hurting your dogs.

No placement usuall equals no money period. Some agencies pay retainers, but many have got their fingers burnt because LA's have got their act together and are getting better at recruiting and retaining carers, so agencies can't always afford it. Plus accepting a retainer usually leaves you open to 'having to' accept any placement you are offered, regardless of suitability.

Not keen on the sounds of your agency I'm afraid - are they a children's charity or one run by individuals as a money making business?

hmmm got m thinking now!! theyre a business i suppose 'fostering solutions'(anyone had exerience of using them?). Not sure what they are like really but their response felt positive but there may be many more good agencies out there. Its knowing which one to go with really. I understand all the checks but like you said really they should pay for all that. Anyone using FCA because they sound a good agency too. The LA were not that good here maybe just my area though, could be better LA elsewhere.