Any foster carers?

moonbeam2007

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

Children are more often than not placed in foster care as an emergency so, although your agency's views re you being given the opportunity to read a file before the child(ren) arrive are admirable, I must admit it's very unlikely.

When a risk is identified that necessitates the removal of a child from a family or another foster placement breaks down they would put the child's interests first and find a placement for them as soon as possible and to hell with the foster carer being given the opportunity to read a file.

My agency don't work that way because I have a young child and most placements I'd get would be from other foster carers where they might have been in short time care before. They may come straight from the family but my SW would be able to see the file and advise me of this.

Oldernotwiser

moonbeam2007 wrote: »

My agency don't work that way because I have a young child and most placements I'd get would be from other foster carers where they might have been in short time care before. They may come straight from the family but my SW would be able to see the file and advise me of this.

What an agency tells its foster carers and what actually happens are, in my experience, completely different.

I hope it works the way you've been told but you should be prepared that it won't.

iris

My daughter has been a foster carer for the past year and at the moment is fostering a 15 year old girl, she also has a son and daughter of her own.

We now live 150 miles away, so last year I asked them all to come and stay for a few days.

Sadly they were unable to come and stay because my daughter said the foster girl needed a room of her own (apparently agency rules), whereas previously everyone would share the two spare rooms we have.

Are these rules normal and does it mean my daughter and family will never be able to visit again whilst she continues to foster.

If so, this makes me very sad.

Perhaps someone can give me some advice how to overcome these problems.

Jowo_2

B&b? ...

iris

Thanks for your reply Jowo.

Unfortunately the cost of a B&B would be too expensive for them, as they would need 4 rooms. Also she hasn't suggested this alternative, so she probably doesn't see it as a possibility.

moonbeam2007

iris wrote: »

My daughter has been a foster carer for the past year and at the moment is fostering a 15 year old girl, she also has a son and daughter of her own.

We now live 150 miles away, so last year I asked them all to come and stay for a few days.

Sadly they were unable to come and stay because my daughter said the foster girl needed a room of her own (apparently agency rules), whereas previously everyone would share the two spare rooms we have.

Are these rules normal and does it mean my daughter and family will never be able to visit again whilst she continues to foster.

If so, this makes me very sad.

Perhaps someone can give me some advice how to overcome these problems.

It must depend on the agency or council. I know with my agency I have asked them if I was to visit my parents how would it work, and they haven't had a problem with it as long as it was a reasonable sleeping arrangements. Some Foster children [depending on their case] are allowed to stay at friends houses and I'm guessing not all have spare rooms. I'd get you daughter to contact her agency or council and ask if this is the case when visiting family or going away, again sometimes your allowed to take the child on holiday with you depending on their situation.

iris

Thank you for your reply Moonbeam.

Fostering sounds a nightmare. I always thought fostering was to give the child a normal family life i.e. treated like one of the family. However, it seems to me fraught with unnecessary 'rules' and 'regulations'.

As my daughter is new to fostering, I get the impression she wants to be seen to be doing everything 'by the book', but I will mention what you have suggested to her.

Oldernotwiser

iris wrote: »

My daughter has been a foster carer for the past year and at the moment is fostering a 15 year old girl, she also has a son and daughter of her own.

We now live 150 miles away, so last year I asked them all to come and stay for a few days.

Sadly they were unable to come and stay because my daughter said the foster girl needed a room of her own (apparently agency rules), whereas previously everyone would share the two spare rooms we have.

Are these rules normal and does it mean my daughter and family will never be able to visit again whilst she continues to foster.

If so, this makes me very sad.

Perhaps someone can give me some advice how to overcome these problems.

I would think that this was quite common; it does sound a very crowded arrangement. Also, has everybody in your household been checked out by Social Services, because this is often necessary as well.

I've not had problems with taking a foster child on holiday so perhaps a big family holiday could be the answer for you.

Oldernotwiser

moonbeam2007 wrote: »

It must depend on the agency or council. I know with my agency I have asked them if I was to visit my parents how would it work, and they haven't had a problem with it as long as it was a reasonable sleeping arrangements. Some Foster children [depending on their case] are allowed to stay at friends houses and I'm guessing not all have spare rooms. I'd get you daughter to contact her agency or council and ask if this is the case when visiting family or going away, again sometimes your allowed to take the child on holiday with you depending on their situation.

Have you had a child placed with you yet?

iris

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I would think that this was quite common; it does sound a very crowded arrangement. Also, has everybody in your household been checked out by Social Services, because this is often necessary as well.

I've not had problems with taking a foster child on holiday so perhaps a big family holiday could be the answer for you.

Why is it crowded?

Grandma and Grandad share one room (their normal bedroom), daughter and husband share the other spare bedroom, the 2 girls (1 foster girl and 1 grandaughter) share another spare bedroom and grandson has sitting room (just at night) with blow-up bed.

We have 2 bathrooms.

As for taking foster child on holiday, did they need a room of their own.

Do Agency rules differ from Council rules, and 'no' we have not been checked out by Social Services. Our daughter has never mentioned this.