Fostering

moonbeam2007

Plans_all_plans wrote: »

I believe that your youngest child must be at least 2 years older than any child you foster, so you may have trouble if you have 2 kids under 4.

I'd ring your local council's fostering team to check out any other regulations they may have. There should also be a Q&A section on your Council's website, covering things like attitudes to corporal punishment of your own children etc.

This isn't the case with most agency's. Your need to ring around and there are many agency's who don't mind you having younger children.

squirrelchops

If you foster through the local authority you will not be getting that much money per week unless you are a high level specialist foster carer (there is a sliding scale of what carers can get). The current authority rate also alters with the age of the child. I think a level 1 carer with a 7 year old child would get about £135 per week (this is approximate figure). There then if of course extra money given for clothing and other things the child may need.

Being a foster carer for a private agency would attract a higher rate as often agencies are used when the local authority cannont place a child with their own carers either due to the child's needs or because they are full for example. Some agencies to try are Nexus, National Fostering Agency and Amicus.

Should you decide to want to foster you will undergo a very rigorous assessment process. This will delve into all areas of your personal life and that of your partner (if you have one). You will be asked all about how you were brought up, financial situation, education etc as well as having to undergo a health check and also provide 3 ( I think) referees that will be interviewed. You will also have to attend some training classes too. If your children are grown up it is likely they too will be interviewed to discuss how you parented them too.Basically every part of your life will be scrutnised and from this an assessment called a Form F will be written.

creditcard123

We considered fostering when our children were that young but after lots of thought we decided to wait until they were slightly older. Your number 1 priority has to be your own children and keeping them safe, bringing a foster child into your home can be very disturbing, frightening and overwhelming for you aswell as your 2 wee ones. The majority of foster children will have issues which they will display in abusive behaviour, violent outbursts, bedwetting or can be completely detached.
Under 4 years old means they cannot stand up for themselves or tell you what happened if they get hurt or their toys get broken.
Foster children with structure, love and discipline change dramatically and can calm down but for a few weeks/months they will display some upsetting behaviour. Do you want your children to be upset by this disruption in their home with their mummy and daddy.
I am sorry this sounds very negative
I just want you to really consider it before you go ahead.
We started to foster when our youngest child was 6 and eldest was 15, and find it very rewarding we have 2 great foster children and are very happy, they are long term and are very much part of our family.:j
I dont know if I would have had the energy when I had 2 children under 4 to do what I do now...LAAC meetings, medicals, social work visits, link worker meeting and writing reports, aswell as all the clubs they all go to.
Being a foster parent is great we are now in our 3rd year and I would recommend it to most people but i would also want you to enjoy your own children, there isn't much time afterwards.
Good Luck:T I think anyone considering it is wonderful