Hello!
For those of you unfamiliar, I offer shared foster care and cover emergencies.
Shared care 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 care are where Social Services phone you and ask you to take a child that night for at least one night. I've done this over a dozen times and least notice I've had is 15mins and most 7hrs. Some of these kids have stayed just one night; longest was 21 nights.
I've looked after 23 kids to date.
Monday - no kids
I have training all day today but am marked as available for kids should the need arises. Training is multi-agency as in not just foster carers but there are also GPs, teachers, physios, police, nursery workers, basically anyone who comes into regular contact with children. The purpose is to help us identify signs that children might be being abused or neglected. It's a really good session though quite stressful content-wise. Also one of the key messages is about working together and raising anything that you think may be an issue. It might not be a 'big' issue in your area of work but coupled with other concerns there might be a more troubling picture. For example, a teacher might be concerned about a change in behaviour in a child, and a doctor may have noticed they're losing weight. Seperately it could be harmless, but together might be more of a cause for concern. It could still be harmless... but the more you talk to other agencies the more likely issues will be spotted and can be acted upon in time. So yeah, really good day.
Tiring mind.
When I get in I check my phone and emails and I've had three emails from my social worker and three missed calls from two other social workers. No kids though. So I spend the evening working from home.
Tuesday - no kids
In the morning I do work from home and have a quick tidy up. At lunchtime my former social worker and my new one pop over for a handover meeting. I'm getting a new social worker as my former one is changing roles slightly and wont be offering support for foster carers anymore. My new one seems irrepressibly upbeat. It's weird.
The meeting goes well I feel but lasts quite a while. I've got stuff to do today! By the time my new social worker has left the day is escaping us. We did talk about a lot though including issues with my family and also the difficulty I'm finding with some training.
After the meeting another social worker rings to talk about the training I've been doing and how I've been finding it. We talk over what I'm struggling with and tactics for managing this.
Afterwards I email back and forth another social worker who is dealing with a family issue.
Wednesday - no kids
I haven't yet been asked for any kids this week which is weird, and slightly alarming as I need to have kids regularly to make ends meet. Could be to do with the training actually as it means all day Friday I am out every week for six weeks.
Today I mainly get on with working from home and that's it really. Work, work and more work.
During the day placement team ring and ask if I can take a boy this weekend. He is scheduled to come into care on the Monday but social workers are getting anxious and want him brought in slightly earlier if possible, either Friday or Saturday due to the unsafe environment at home. I say yes but it would have to be from the Saturday, and as he would need collecting from home, I would need a social worker or support worker to assist. It's decided this isn't practicle given its a Saturday and an alternative solution is found. I read his referral before I said yes and the situation seems dire.
Thursday - no kids
Today I have family members visiting for the day which I thoroughly enjoy. I haven't seen one of them for a while and its good to catch up. I also have no kids coming.
And for the rest of the week no kids too. Sorry! nothing exciting happened!
More later as the week goes on....
All the best, BF
NB Bristol Fostering is a personal blog and not affiliated with any fostering agency. The author just happens to be a foster carer in Bristol, UK
We do recommend Bristol Council though as they're fab. Bristol Council fostering inquiry form
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