Could you foster a Bexley child?

Transcription

1 Could you foster a Bexley child? Listening to you, working for you

2 What is fostering? Every day of every year, foster carers from all walks of life are playing a vital role in the lives of tens of thousands of young people and children who come into local authority care for a wide variety of reasons. Foster carers give them the secure, caring family base they need to build their lives upon. Depending upon the circumstances, fostering can involve caring for children for a very short time, such as an overnight stay, perhaps a few days or several months. Sometimes it can mean fostering a child for many years until they are able to live independently. Fostering provides stability and support for children from a wide range of families. It s not always easy. It can sometimes be demanding, even stressful. But it can also be great fun and extremely rewarding. Some children have special needs, and so require additional support. Others may have suffered abuse, or been caught up in a family crisis. Foster carers allow families the time they need to rebuild their lives, and give each child the best possible chance to develop the confidence and life skills they need for their future. 02

3 Why are children fostered? Foster carers provide vital support to children whose own family, for a variety of reasons, cannot care for them sometimes on a short-term basis, sometimes for longer. The problems at home could include illness, substance misuse, neglect and abuse. We work with families to make their home a safe place for their children to return to, but this can take time. Homes are needed for children of all ages sometimes singly or as sibling groups who need to stay together. We try to place children with foster carers from their own cultural background, where they will feel familiar with the language, religion and food. But, most importantly, we look for homes that will give a child stability, security and a positive sense of their own identity. Understandably, many children require a great deal of support, but some will have additional care needs. There will be babies and toddlers to care for too, as well as young mothers requiring extra support. But rest assured, we never place children unless we are confident that you have the ability to cope with their needs and we ll be there every step of the way to provide the expertise and specialist back-up you need whether you are taking on your first foster child or your twentieth. 03

4 What support can I expect? Bexley ensures that you are given all the support you need in the form of: Training before you begin and ongoing. The initial four day training/approval programme period will also provide the opportunity to decide whether fostering really is for you. Foster carers must undertake further training once they are approved. This includes completing the Foster Care Training, Support and Development Standards as required by fostering regulations. A supervising social worker will visit you regularly and offer support, advice, feedback and guidance, as well as being on the end of a telephone if you have specific concerns or problems. An emergency duty team of social workers is available during evenings and weekends. Supporting foster carers a support network of experienced foster carers, regular foster carer support group meetings. The Bexley Foster Carer s Association (FCA) support and advocate on behalf of foster carers. The Fostering Network you ll be part of a network providing foster carers with helpful information on relevant issues as well as access to legal services. Other professionals you will be able to work with other professionals where applicable, including teachers, youth workers, and in certain cases, the Police. Financial help you aren t expected to do this on your own! Foster carers receive generous allowances to cover the child s expenses as well as a reward element. 04

5 How do foster children respond? The move into a foster home, will never have been moved to live with another challenges that every year our foster carers Providing this level of support does not be easy for a child, but good foster carers family who are people they may not have confront and deal with successfully. just involve the foster carers themselves; can make all the difference and help the children make that transition. Very young children will be confused previously known. Older children may be angry, hurt, mistrustful, bewildered by the change in Foster carers succeed because they can give care, security and a stable home life for children. They help children to and, when deciding on fostering it is critical that the whole family is consulted and are supportive of any placement. and upset to be away from their natural circumstances, unsure of how thrive and develop, regain their confidence parents, too young to understand where to behave. and, often self-esteem, when living their parents have gone and why they They may well have needs over and above away from home. those of other children. These are the 05

6 So could I foster? There is no typical foster carer, because anyone offering a stable, secure home and who can commit themselves to providing the care a child needs, can foster subject, of course, to the normal checks. A foster carer, or foster carers, may be of any age from 21 upwards, although you will need to have the health and stamina to care for somebody else s child. Your marital status is irrelevant; you can be gay or straight; living in a large house or a modest flat; well off or unemployed. Some foster carers have their own children, others do not but you will need to understand their needs and have had experience of dealing with children. What does matter is that you can offer a child or young person support help, care, empathy and attention. Other essential requirements are strength, patience and understanding and a good sense of humour is a powerful asset too! We look to place children in homes that reflect, as far as is practicable, their own ethnic and cultural backgrounds. While the kind of house or flat you live in does not matter, you will need enough space and a spare room for a foster child. 06

7 What is it like to be a foster carer? John and Marian are now in their 40s, with two grown up daughters and a son still living at home. They started fostering Jane, five years ago when she was 11. The assessment took longer than we expected but it prepared us well. We wanted a child who would be with us long term. We were told all about Jane and initially we did have some problems, particularly with her behaviour. We made mistakes partly because we were sorry for her. We have a great home life and Jane is coming along well. We are proud to say she is one of our family and we feel she feels the same. We are thinking now of taking on a younger boy. People often ask if anyone can foster and we say: Yes if you genuinely want to care for a youngster and have time to give. John and Marion are just ordinary people who decided to foster. Once we had learnt to show we were in charge and Jane accepted that, we had no problems. Her Social Worker, Chris, was wonderful and very supportive to the entire family and helped us all to work together. We have gained a lot from fostering. 07

8 Is there more than one type of fostering? Absolutely because the needs and situations of the children vary so much, we need foster carers to fulfil a wide range of roles that fit in with their own lives, and which they are confident and equipped to play. These include: Short term fostering for children of all ages who may return to their parents within a few days, weeks or months. During this period the child usually still retains regular contact with their birth parents. Long term fostering for children who cannot return to their parents and need to remain in foster carer until they are ready to leave home and lead an independent life. Respite fostering for short, regular planned stays. Connected persons fostering this is short or permanent foster care provided by people related to or previously known to a child. Friends and family fostering this is short or permanent foster care provided by people related to or previously known to a child. Pre-adoption for babies and children who will be moving on to an adoptive family. 08

9 Can I afford to foster? As rewarding a role as fostering is, we don t expect our foster carers to shoulder the cost of caring. Depending upon the type of care provided we offer a wide range of financial, training and support packages. The weekly allowances paid to foster carers are generous and reflect the importance of the role they play. The amounts paid will depend upon the age and the individual circumstances of the child. On top of this, there are allowances to cover the costs of birthdays, Christmas and other special occasions, as well as grants to cover special needs or other particular requirements. 09

10 So how do I apply to become a foster carer? If what you have read so far sounds like and what the role involves. Both you and check: fostering can be a physically as well The assessments are then presented to you but you re not too sure about the your partner (if you have one) will need as mentally demanding role! our Fostering Panel. Once approved, you commitment involved don t worry. The assessment process takes around six months and this allows you plenty of time to decide whether or not to go ahead. During those six months we will visit you in your home, talk through the process to be present. We will carry out checks including checks with the Criminal Records Bureau for those aged 16 and over and living in your home, We will take up references and make an assessment of your home. You will also require a medical Before proceeding to the formal assessment stage, you (and your partner if applicable) will go on training courses - an opportunity to learn in more depth from experts about the rewards of fostering, as well as how to deal with the challenges it will then be eligible to care for children who match your experience and abilities. But you won t be on your own: as we explained in an earlier section, there is lots of support and guidance on hand every step of the way. can present. 10

11 What happens next? A member of the fostering team will contact you and if after reading this information you feel that fostering may be right for you and your family we will send you a questionnaire to complete and return. All information received is treated as confidential. On receipt of your questionnaire a member of our team will assess your initial suitability. You may then be invited to attend a Fostering Information Session which will give you a more in depth perspective of the challenges and rewards of what being a foster carer for Bexley means. There is no obligation, at this stage, to progress your application with us. Children s Placements Service Bexley Civic Offices Broadway Bexleyheath Kent DA6 7LB Freephone: Telephone: adoptionandfostering@bexley.gov.uk Following the Information Session if you decide to proceed with your application, a social worker from Bexley s fostering team will contact you to arrange an initial meeting at your family home. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further queries relating to the initial stages of becoming a foster carer. 11

12 Photographs posed by models If you would like to know more about the services the Council provides, or would like either a translation of this document or the information in a different format, please call our Customer Contact Centre on and press 0, quoting reference: /11.12 Listening to you, working for you