Fostering

[Nick]

So.

 

Has anybody been through the process and are now fostering a young person on a short/long term or emergency basis?

 

I'm considering this at the moment and I'm in the dark slightly about the ethics of using a private company and going directly through the local authority...

 

Does anybody have any experience of this?

 

Feel free to PM if its not something you wish to post in the public domain.

 

Cheers,

 

SL

[Strokes]

No I haven't but my friends have recently adopted two siblings, I know it took nearly 18 months from starting the proceedings to actually having the children on a permanent basis. Obviously as I am sure you are aware they will delve into every detail of your life to make sure you are of good character, so I would recommend perhaps checking social media for inappropriate posts or photos and removing first.  I'm sure as rewarding as it will be, you have to prepare yourself for heartbreak as these kids will have at best, suffered mental stresses and rejections that we could not even imagine. Good luck 

[VLC86]

I've considered it until I saw the above post that mentions dubious social media.

[Strokes]

27 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

I've considered it until I saw the above post that mentions dubious social media.

I can only assume it's the same criteria for fostering as adopting. 

[Buce]

No advice to offer, Swanny, but I wish you luck - it's a pretty cool thing to do. 

[Darkon84]

Echoing @Buces comment, I can't offer any help I'm afraid, but what you're doing is commendable and brilliant. We differ in a lot if things and don't always see eye to eye, but what you're doing  (if it goes through (hopefully)) is fantastic. I wish you all the best with it and hope you can help give a child a better life. 

[RobHawk]

Looked into it - other things have since come up and its on the backburner for now, but still like the idea of it.
 

I live next door to a pair of social workers and they advised to go local authority rather than private as apparently only the really difficult kids end up going to private foster carers. In our situation with a little one of our own, we decided that we would rather go La and have more flexbility with the ids we accepted (especiall to begin with).

I also work with alot of care leavers and althugh they are older, most of them are a pleasure once thy get out into the world and find their own feet - its still obviously tough and they still get into shit etc, but the growth you see in these young people is amazing!