marley2580

Hey, wasn't sure where to put this, so I thought I'd chuck it here and apologise if it's in the wrong place. Me and the OH are looking into fostering and I was wondering if anyone here has any experience of the process and the requirements?

Wobbles

I have no idea but I wanted to wish you good luck - I was fostered as a child and theres not enough caring foster carers out there.

What ages are you looking at? Long short temp placements?

I know its not the easiest or the shortest of tasks I believe theres a bit of studying involved, classes etc. that was from what the woman who registered Caitlins birth was suggesting as she was in middle of hers

Again good luck

rafwife

My husband and I started the process before I became pregnant, and it's something I am very passionate about. Especially fostering older children.

What would you like to know? You can either go down the private route, or the government route. There are different types of foster care, from emergency to long term and different age groups and behavioral groups of children.

Wobbles

Will you continue that after baby do you think rafwife?

Offering a home to older children needs a big pat on back that was my situation when I was young I was fostered as a youngster my birth mother decided she'd like to be my Mum again *rolls eyes* that did not work out & I was in Northern Ireland by this point so I was placed in childrens homes & there I remained because theres not enough foster families wanting the older kids *humph*.

Fostering is something I wish to look into in time but not quite yet.

miel

i think once we are settling in too it's something i love to look at as well
good luck in your process!

rafwife

Yes, hopefully but different agencies have different requirements. Some require you have children over the age of 3, for others it 12 months. So it'll be awhile yet. I want to foster children from 11-16 as like you say I think they need it the most. I definitely want to adopt in this age group for my next child.

My parents left me in a home for a few months when I was 13, so I can sympathise somewhat. I just have a strong desire to help, if that makes sense.

marley2580

We'll probably go down the government route. I know that the process takes ages, which is why we're not too worried about Kaya's age atm. I think I would need to take younger kids, simply because I don't feel ready to deal with teenagers yet. At the moment I'm just trying to find out what it's all about as the OH isn't yet convinced.

rafwife

If you want to go down the government route then I believe this is your foster group:

http://www.fosteringandadoption.angus.gov.uk/

Any government agency that I've contacted require you to have a child over 12 months. However, the process is a very long one so I'm not sure if they'd let you start before your child is 1.

The different types of fostering are:

Emergency - Looking after a child on a short term basis for an emergency. Often you'll get only hours notice.

Respite - Shared care with parents. Basically if the parents need a break you take over for a week or so.

Specialist- Generally very troubled children, many of whom have been involved in criminal activities. Come from very disrupted family backgrounds.

Short Term- This is looking after a child for up to a year (though it varies with agency)

Long Term- Fostering a child for most of it's life, without adopting.

You'll get a carer allowance and a child allowance which will cover the child's expenses and a professional 'fee' for you for looking after the child.

Hope that helps a bit.

cheeky_carrie

my parents fostered children for as long as I can remember until my Mum got ill they got a to meet the queen etc and were commended for all the great work they had done got medal certificate etc, it was mainly 10-16/18 year olds that were "troubled" but often baby-3 years in between adoptions and they did 2-16yo on respite care for when other carers wanted time alone etc. like long weekends or holidays with their own familes or whatever??

1 of my older brothers they adopted, he came into our family when he was 12/13 and very messed up emotionally, when he was 16 the social workers were prep'ing him to move out into "the big bad world" but my parents knew he wasnt ready (emotionally imatture) and he had grown part of our family so they adopted him. Ive always seen him as my brother nothing else, my younger sister didnt know he wasnt our "real brother" till she was about 10 then someone said something and we had to explain to her

Id love to do it but with 3 kids of my own and a house thats too small Ill have to wait a bit i think before i start looking into it

good luck and huge pat on the back to anyone that does it tho

Linzi

I dont have any advice, but I wanted to say good luck and it's a brilliant thing to do. I would love to do it in the future, theres so many children that need to be cared for and it seems like theres not enough people to do that which is really sad.

Good luck

xxx