Any foster carers or wanting to foster out there ?

Armchair23

Seems crazy, you've been approved and I imagine the need for carers like you is enormous.

Never underestimate the ability of departments and systems to eff up.
Have you put in a call and checked out whats happening ?

Sorry if I've missed a post where you say you call every day and they say anytime soon.

Foster care is so important be very proud you've not just seen this as a cash cow but are waiting to love, nurture and support kids who need you desperately.

Hope it goes well - eventually X

alwaystryyourbest

eastofeden wrote: »

Just wanted to wish you luck and happiness and to thank you, actually. I have worked with many children who are with foster carers and have seen a dramatic ( sometimes overnight) improvement in their well being and overall nurture, once they are placed. You already know that there will be ups and downs as with all parenting, but you clearly have the right attitude and have lots of love to give. Good on you!!!

Thanks it means a lot, I know it will be hard but I also know deep down that I will love most things about fostering.
Bit worried about all the paperwork and meetings but not at all worried about caring about any foster baby/child they place with us.

Thanks again xx

alwaystryyourbest

Pricivius wrote: »

I have a couple of questions, OP, if you don't mind. I appreciate you may not be able to answer or give very full answers for confidentiality/privacy reasons...

- Are you with the local authority or an agency?

- Did they give you any indication of how busy you would be?

- How did you/reach the conclusion of kids aged 0-3? Is this your preference, was it governed by circumstance (your own older kids) or was it decided by Panel?

Thanks in advance!

No problem in answering your questions..

Yes we are with our local authority.

They did say with our age range we might be waiting a day or two or months and months....

They didn't indicate how busy we might be or not be...

We are fostering 0 to 3 year olds because of the ages of my children, and that my youngest is 3 years old. Not really sure if you are aloud to choose the ages that you foster, but they did want to know for the future if we wanted to foster older teens and children in the future when all my children are bigger.

It's hard waiting we have been waiting over a year to do this now, I feel so close but yet it might be months always or today.....

Are you thinking about being a foster carer ?


I am more than wiling to answer anymore questions if you have any more...
Take care xx

alwaystryyourbest

Armchair23 wrote: »

Seems crazy, you've been approved and I imagine the need for carers like you is enormous.

Never underestimate the ability of departments and systems to eff up.
Have you put in a call and checked out whats happening ?

Sorry if I've missed a post where you say you call every day and they say anytime soon.

Foster care is so important be very proud you've not just seen this as a cash cow but are waiting to love, nurture and support kids who need you desperately.

Hope it goes well - eventually X

No I haven't rang them yet, I know I have to be patient, and I have been told by a foster carer I know, that the call comes when you are least expecting it.... So I guess it won't come today,because we are ready and waiting.

Thanks for your well wishes xx

alwaystryyourbest

Still waiting for 1st placement, got every thing ready:

Cot, new mattress, cot sheets, Moses basket, blankets, toddler bed, bedding, wardrobe, chest of draws, changing table, toys, nappies in every sizes possible, nappy wipes, bum cream, dummy's, buggy, car seats, some clothes in every sizes possible, books, baby bottles, baby milk in every age possible, toddler beakers, spoons,
Think that's all the things I have right now.

Excited to getting started, really want to help a sad and unloved baby or child feel loved and wanted and happy and enjoy living in our family for however long that might be for....

Excited to start my fostering journey, xx
Anyone other foster careers out there waiting or with placements, love to chat while I wait for the call.....

Pricivius

Thanks, alwaystryyourbest, for answering my queries and apologies for the delay in responding - I missed your post and then forgot to check it later.

We have approached our new LA about fostering and are awaiting dates for the Skills to Foster course, which we are hoping will give us a clearer insight into fostering and whether it is for us.

As I mentioned above, we both work full time, so this would be a huge change for us as I would have to quit my job. The thought of being "empty" for as long as you have been would be awful as we have no kids to keep me busy! This is one of our concerns.

We had a visit with a social worker and current foster carer recently, and it didn't put us off! However, regarding my point about age groups, they were clear that our property did not suit children below school age so we would be encouraged towards 5 and overs. We also learned that our spare room is comparatively large and we could consider a sibling group, so that's good to know.

I hope you start your fostering career for real soon...!

alwaystryyourbest

Pricivius wrote: »

Thanks, alwaystryyourbest, for answering my queries and apologies for the delay in responding - I missed your post and then forgot to check it later.

We have approached our new LA about fostering and are awaiting dates for the Skills to Foster course, which we are hoping will give us a clearer insight into fostering and whether it is for us.

As I mentioned above, we both work full time, so this would be a huge change for us as I would have to quit my job. The thought of being "empty" for as long as you have been would be awful as we have no kids to keep me busy! This is one of our concerns.

We had a visit with a social worker and current foster carer recently, and it didn't put us off! However, regarding my point about age groups, they were clear that our property did not suit children below school age so we would be encouraged towards 5 and overs. We also learned that our spare room is comparatively large and we could consider a sibling group, so that's good to know.

I hope you start your fostering career for real soon...!

Good luck to you, hope things go well, and I really I joyed our skills to foster course, and I made me realise that fostering is for our family.
I feel we are only waiting for this long due to our age group being so young 0 to 3 years.
So having a age group 5 and up you would get a call quickly, and if we had been able to take 11 years and over, we would of had a call within our 1st week.

Good luck again x

alwaystryyourbest

We have our 1st foster child, a 3 month year old girl.
I am loving being a foster carer, she is being quite good most days.

Some days i can't believe I am now finally fostering,

I have my dream job:j:j

SuzieSue

alwaystryyourbest wrote: »

We have our 1st foster child, a 3 month year old girl.
I am loving being a foster carer, she is being quite good most days.

Some days i can't believe I am now finally fostering,

I have my dream job:j:j

That's brilliant news. You sound like the perfect foster parent. She is very lucky.

alwaystryyourbest

Thanks suziesue but I feel like the lucky one, taking care of her and making her feel part of our family is so easy to do...
And I am getting paid to do something I love....
So happy :j but I am sure there will be hard days as we'll.
Just enjoying her for now.