Thinking of fostering

jackie_w

Hi,

I have been thinking about fostering for quite some time now, however, I have been on anti depressents for the last year and I'm not sure if this will make me an unsuitable foster parent? Does anyone have any experience of this?

I'm hoping to come off the anti depressents soon, and I see my doctor on a regular basis.

I have 2 lovely kids and am proud to say they are healthy and happy, I have so much love to give and genuinely think I would be a good foster parent.

Man thanks.

Fire_Fox

Probably best to be stable before you apply, ie. off the medication if possible. Have you had counselling or changed your lifestyle (physical activity, diet) to self treat the depression? If so you could really make your experience of a disorder of mental health into something positive - how much you learned about yourself, your relationship, you are more empathetic, you would now recognise the warning signs in yourself and others, you have a new 'toolkit' for treating mental or physical health complaints, now better understand the importance of meeting all our government's recommendations for healthy living, are a stronger healthier person.

Not the same of course, but I have elaborated on some of the above in two job interviews and still got the jobs despite the stigma of mental health issues.

Poppy9

Look on your LA website and there should be a link for Fostering. They welcome informal inquiries and may have a Fostering Roadshow you could attend etc.

Also look here. No medical condition explicitly bars you from Fostering, each is considered on a case by case basis.

gibson123

Good for you, I would love to foster, but at my age and with no spare bedroom and a demanding job, it is just not feasible. I do however have contact with youngsters coming out of the care system and like to think I a difference... make an informal enquiry and start talking to the foster care service, maybe start with mentoring a young person in care and see how you go.

Dunroamin

For your own sake, make sure that you are really well before thinking about fostering - it's certainly rewarding but usually very stressful as well.

jackie_w

Thank you so much for replying.

I know it is a long process to get accepted to the fostering, and it's something I will continue to think about, I'm not going to rush into it. I've started to try to get more information about it and am going to read more about it, and hopefully by the time I actually apply (which will probable be next year) I will be off the anti depressents.

I have always been a worrier, and when on the anti depressents I seem to not worry as much and think more rationally (does this make sense). I am currently working, and things are really quite in work, now normally I would worry about redundancy etc and I would really worry myself sick, not sleeping etc, but for some reason I seem to be more calm. of course, I'm a bit concerned about coming off the medication but I'm hoping to try to use the new "thinking tools" to combat that. I did see a councillor at the beginning the year and it helped a little, but the self help books helped a bit more.

I can honestly say the depression hasn't affected my children at all. They are still healthy, happy and cheek wee souls they have always been.

I would just love to make a difference to a child's life, after all, it's how we bring children up and help them see the world, that will make the world a better place. Well I think so anyway.

themull1

I used to worry when i couldn't think of anything to worry about!!

Racheldevon

Have a look into accessing a mindfulness based cognitive therapy or stress reduction 8 week programme. Lots of places run it in partnership with the NHS and local universities. I can think of Bangor, Oxford, Exeter as places considered centres of excellance for this, but there wil be others. It's NICE guideline recommended for depression. There are also lots of places that run it privately a course if normally about £160. You can also get various books and CDs, but I think a course is a good grounding to start with if you're not familiar with it

skipsmum

We have fostered for many years despite me having depression and anxiety. In my case my illness was caused by childhood experiences that have actually helped me be a good foster parent.
I have found my mental health problems are much less limiting when we have foster kids with us because I make a big effort to be stable and organised. The LA consider you on a case-by-case basis so depression is not a barrier to fostering but might affect the type of support you will need.

Fire_Fox

jackie_w wrote: »

I have always been a worrier, and when on the anti depressents I seem to not worry as much and think more rationally (does this make sense). I am currently working, and things are really quite in work, now normally I would worry about redundancy etc and I would really worry myself sick, not sleeping etc, but for some reason I seem to be more calm. of course, I'm a bit concerned about coming off the medication but I'm hoping to try to use the new "thinking tools" to combat that. I did see a councillor at the beginning the year and it helped a little, but the self help books helped a bit more.

That suggests to me you may have had clinical depression for a long time before you were diagnosed and treated. Depression twists your logic and makes you over-think: your brain needs to attach the negative feelings to something so can focus on life events, depression makes the negative outcomes seem more likely than the positive outcomes. It's very difficult to pick apart the effects of stress/ anxiety, depression and insomnia, several of the hormones are on the same pathway and the conditions all feed into one another.

Are you getting at least 10,000 steps every day year round, preferably outdoors and preferably briskly? Are you getting some more intense exercise a few times a week? Physical activity is proven to have both acute and chronic effects on mild to moderate depression, stress/ anxiety and insomnia. Not instead of talking therapies but as well as.

keigcf

I would ring your local council and get put through to the fostering team and ask them direct. They can send someone out to chat with you about it, at least then you would know the answer.