looking into fostering

[MrsEngland]

Hi,
Me and my husband have recently discussed looking into fostering so I wanted to ask a few questions really.

How long does the process to become approved take?

Can you foster if you already have your own children?

How much choice do you get in the kinds of children you foster?

Thanks

 

[sophxx]

Here they like your children to be over 2 but prefer the youngest to be 5.
It takes about a year here but every la. And va. Are different. Best thing to do is go to one of the open evenings/events they have and see what they say.

 

[Steffyclaire1]

Fostering is an excellent way to help children in crisis, as well as give back to society. There are many children in foster care, who need nurturing and caring homes. Many of the children have been abused and/or neglected. Because of the need, agency are always recruiting for foster parents. In general, it takes about six to eight weeks to be approved. Foster parents, in many states, must go through the training process to learn about the requirements and how to parent the children in care. You can have children in your home; however, you must remember that parenting children, who have been abused or neglected requires additional skills. Most agencies require references and background checks to determine that you are appropriate to parent. Foster parents must be able to meet their own financial needs. The requirements vary from state to state, so read your state's legislation on foster care or call a local agency. If you are approved to become a foster parent, you will have a say in the type child you parent. Agencies try to match children with families when possible. There will be times; however, when the agency may ask you to accept a child for a couple of days until a longer term more appropriate foster home is identified.

 

[Annie77]

My DH and I were approved foster carers for Barnardos but since finding out we were expecting again, our file has been closed as they do not use foster families with birth children under 5, despite us only planning to provide respite for special needs kids.

Each council has their own fostering department so the best thing is to make contact or check out their website. It is not the quickest process but not tedious either - be prepared to attend preparation groups with other wannabe foster parents.

Also there are different types of fostering;
Emergency - middle of the night arrivals, traumatised children and stays of anything between 24 hours and 6 weeks - one of you need to be stay at home.
Short term - just as it says
Long-term/permanency - you have the child staying with you until they are ready to leave the foster care system but adoption is not possible.
Respite - providing short breaks for birth or foster parents, usually one weekend in four and 1-2 weeks during holidays.
Special needs - again someone has to be at home full time. Fees are higher due to this.

Some areas also have new initiatives looking at fostering teenagers and preparing them for life outside the system & also schemes for teenage mums.

You can foster when you have children but they will try to place a child younger than your youngest. With exception of emergency (to a degree) you will be given information about the child, age, background and specific needs etc prior to agreeing to a placement.

 

[LolaM]

my husband and I just began fostering at the end of May, we have an almost 6 month old boy and it looks like he will become ours because CPS is moving to terminate parental rights!!!!

 

[TTC First]

my husband and I just began fostering at the end of May, we have an almost 6 month old boy and it looks like he will become ours because CPS is moving to terminate parental rights!!!!

That's wonderful LolaM. Just don't get too excited yet. If your system is anything like the one in Canada, it can take a loooooooong time. If the parents want the child it can be quite the battle.

I really hope that everything works out for you, you are so lucky to have a baby so young. You will have a long future ahead of you.

 

[LolaM]

my husband and I just began fostering at the end of May, we have an almost 6 month old boy and it looks like he will become ours because CPS is moving to terminate parental rights!!!!

That's wonderful LolaM. Just don't get too excited yet. If your system is anything like the one in Canada, it can take a loooooooong time. If the parents want the child it can be quite the battle.

I really hope that everything works out for you, you are so lucky to have a baby so young. You will have a long future ahead of you.

unfortunatly, its all bad news as far as mom is concerned. We have had baby boy for 2 months, mom has made NO attempts to visit with him, she is on the other side of the state with no intensions to move back here with her kids and she was in town for 2 WEEEEKS and never once contacted SW to make a plan for a visit.

By the way, i love the pic in your sig, i often feel the same way "oh yeah? screw you AND your stupid fetus!"

 

[TTC First]

That's great LolaM!!! I am a foster parent so I hear lots other foster parents really hoping to keep their kids and it doesn't work out for them. Sometimes it even comes down to cultural match. I know in Canada their priority is matching a child culturally and we are EXTREMELY culturally diverse here.

Yup, I am really frustrated over all the babies. Someone in my family just had one this week and to make it worse they used the name that I wanted for my child.

 

[LolaM]

That's great LolaM!!! I am a foster parent so I hear lots other foster parents really hoping to keep their kids and it doesn't work out for them. Sometimes it even comes down to cultural match. I know in Canada their priority is matching a child culturally and we are EXTREMELY culturally diverse here.

Yup, I am really frustrated over all the babies. Someone in my family just had one this week and to make it worse they used the name that I wanted for my child.

Yup. Several are preg or working on it. We have baby boy with us now but it's still upsetting

 

[TTC First]

Yup. Several are preg or working on it. We have baby boy with us now but it's still upsetting[/QUOTE]


Isn't it so hard when you foster infants? Its the ultimate tease for someone looking for a child. I am still trying to have my own. I foster infants so I have everything I need for my own baby...except the actual baby of my own.

 

[magicwhisper]

my oh and i are looking into fostering in the future. I work in childcare and have experience with sen. (we would foster now if we had the space). In the future we plan to foster sen children but other than that any other type of placement we have not looked into.

 

[TTC First]

It's wonderful that you are planning to foster. If the system is anything like the one in Canada, they will always be looking for foster parents. It's a major commitment so lots of people are not up for it.

 

[magicwhisper]

yeah i can understand that we an't wait!

 

[nonbio mama]

I am currently a foster parent, it is one of the hardest, most rewarding things I've ever done. Just being able to show these children what a loving family is like, even for a little bit is worth it.

Wish you all the best in your fostering journey.

 

[magicwhisper]

it seems so amazing to foster, once we get a bigger place in the future we will foster

 

[LolaM]

somedays I wish to just give them the kid back, and be done with the hassel, but then the kid does something new and wonderful and its all good again...

 

[magicwhisper]

awh bless i bet you have hard days

 

[helloeveryone]

Hi I am a busy mummy with 6 children, I have always wanted to foster but I have always been busy having a family of my own..
I am now not having any more...

So I so pleased to be able to look into fostering ,, today I phoned up and spoke to some nice lady on the phone, the spare room I plan on using as my foster room in is quite small enough room for a small toddler bed or (cot )wardrobe chest of drawers and only a small play area..

I have said that I would only be able to foster 0 to 5 years at the moment due to this small room..( we do plan on moving some day )

My son who is 2 years old is in this small room at the moment but I am moving him in with his 2 brother, so the foster people are giving me a call to get things moving in 6 months...

I AM SO EXCITED but a bit worried they will say this room is to small to foster in..
Does anyone know if a bedroom has to be a certain size????

Any tips and advice would be lovely...

I know people might think I am mad to want to foster when I have a big family already but I want to help a child, and feel I can offer a child a loving home for as long as they need it..

Also if there is any foster mummy out there I would love to talk, so I can prepare for what's ahead in 6 months....

Sorry this post is a bit long ....and hope you are not

 

[LolaM]

thr room has to be big enough for a bed and a dresser. I am a foster mom, i can not have children of my own. So i take ages 0-6 and will adopt if they become available and it looks like my very first foster baby is becoming available so he will be all ours! I was a foster child, and i always knew i would become a foster parent, it gives kids the chance they need to break the cycle-to start over!

 

[helloeveryone]

thr room has to be big enough for a bed and a dresser. I am a foster mom, i can not have children of my own. So i take ages 0-6 and will adopt if they become available and it looks like my very first foster baby is becoming available so he will be all ours! I was a foster child, and i always knew i would become a foster parent, it gives kids the chance they need to break the cycle-to start over!

Thanks for getting back to me,the room is only big enough for a cot or toddler bed but does fit a wardrobe and a drawer and a small toy chest so I hope this is big enough...
Congratulations on your baby being available
,,how old is she? Have a nice day....xx