Bristol Fostering

Howdy! For those of you unfamiliar, I offer respite foster carer and cover emergencies. I also work two jobs, have a passel of cats and a wild garden. Respite is where you give either another foster carer or a child's family a break by having their child for usually 1-7 nights, quite often just one or two nights. Emergency placements are where Social Services phone you and ask you to take a child that night for at least one night. I've done this a few times and least notice I've had is 30mins and most 5hrs. A couple of these kids have stayed just one night; longest was five nights. I've decided to start twice a month keeping a diary of my fostering experiences as such a carer. Sooooooo..... Monday - no kids I'm on call this week M-Th but I've only once been asked to take a kid on a Monday. So I know its unlikely. Still the beds in the spare rooms are ready just in case. I'm not though. I'm shattered. I've come off of working nig...

I have an unusual week this week. No kids booked in yet but I do have a potential one for the weekend. If that doesn't materialise I'm sure I'll be asked for last minute care anyway. I'm on call Mon to Thurs in case of emergencies. I enjoyed doing my 'week in the life...' diary the other week so I thought I'd do another.  Monday - no kids I come off Night shifts this morning and have a stinking headache. Ive had a difficult work week and now have to stay awake instead of having a small snooze because I have a support meeting to go to at midday. Must stay awake. Must stay awake. Without my snooze all I can think about is the sleep I would have usually have had so I wasn't very chatty at support group, but I've been and everyone there was lovely. Best part, apart from seeing a couple of carers I know is the free lunch. Nutella anyone. Tomorrow my social worker is ringing about a particular child so I read the notes I have on them again an...

This is something I was wondering about. I also wonder if it is a good thing? Before a child comes stay with you typically you read a referral. This is a bit like a school report in the sense that it has an overall comment about the child and then 'strengths and weaknesses' for various subject areas such as family life, education, personal care and health etc. However this is far from a keepsake document you'll be showing your kids down the line. In fact you can't show anyone. It is completely confidential. You must not discuss its content with anyone other than your social worker, and the stuff you'll read will shock you. But I wonder over time if that shock wears off. The first referral I read surprised me a little, in the behaviours section, that is, in the child's behaviour, and at the time I was a little worried. But then as time has gone on and I've read referrals about children who I have looked after and children that didn't come to me ...

I have begun to think that if you're looking after a child that is not your own, you should give them tasks, roles and responsibilities as if they were your own kids. Not for pocket money as such, but because giving children tasks to do does many great wonders: It helps grow their sense of pride and achievement It shows you trust them  It helps children learn practical skills It helps children feel like they belong to the household if they take responsibility for part of its running It's fun! (Yes, some tasks can be fun) It helps develop communication especially listening to instructions and describing Initially when I looked after children I didn't ask them to do anything in the home at all. Not that I waited on them hand and foot, but I'd tidy up once they were in bed or had left for the weekend. Now, without fail, even the child who stays a single night I get them to do something: - Help choose what we're having for dinner / lay the table /...