Foster care for child with disabilities

Zip
Zip Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
edited October 15 in Families and carers

Does anyone have experience of their child going into foster care or of being in foster care themselves? Especially as a disabled child?

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Comments

  • Bluebell21
    Bluebell21 Community Member Posts: 6,493 Championing

    Hi @Zip your thread is still here. Hopefully a member will have an answer for you soon.

    Take care.

  • Mary_Scope
    Mary_Scope Posts: 6,179 Scope Online Community Children and Family Specialists

    Hi @Zip and a warm welcome to the community from me!

    I haven't been through this myself I'm afraid but hopefully one of our members who have will see this post and share their experience with you soon. Has the social worker been able to let you what the foster care process is like?

  • Anhedonia2
    Anhedonia2 Community Member Posts: 447 Empowering

    What a scary time for all of you @Zip. I don't have experience but I hope you are getting lots of support

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 9,775 Online Community Team
    edited October 15

    Hi @Zip, I'm not care experienced myself, but my parents were foster carers so I know a little about the system from the perspective of a foster-sibling. I know that's probably not quite what you're after, but just let me know if I can help in any way ☺️

  • Zip
    Zip Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1153722#Comment_1153722

    She is coming to my house tomorrow to sign forms and discuss more details. Im so scared for them and me. Theyre my reason for being.

  • Zip
    Zip Community Member Posts: 15 Connected
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1153734#Comment_1153734

    What was being a foster sibling like? Did you get on with the other children?

    Did they ever get to go back to their parents? Im so scared they wont ever let me have them back. Do they get treated like family? What happens about school? They said I will get able to see them but wont that make it harder for them? I dont know if they will even be staying in the area or not. Do they normaly go far away?

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 6,436 Championing

    H @Zip and welcome to the Scope forum.

    I am really sorry you and your children are having to go through this and I hope the meeting goes well tomorrow. Moderators Mary and Rosie only work during office hours but I don't know which days.

  • Dynamisante
    Dynamisante Community Member Posts: 235 Contributor

    @Zip, please rest assured that social services will do all they can to keep you and your child in touch, they will get them placed as close to you as they possibly can as you still hopefully have parental rights and will have ongoing contact with your child, foster children are treated and expected to be treated just like any other child within the family, the first plan is always to return them to where they belong and that is with their birth family, if that’s not possible then with another member of their immediate family members, what else are you concerned about, maybe I can ease your worries in some way, I get it’s really hard for you.

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 9,775 Online Community Team
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1153850#Comment_1153850

    Hey @Zip. I quite enjoyed having other kids to play with and we usually got on well. Most of the kids we had stay with us were from the same county area, so not too far away from their homes. Contact would usually be arranged with the parents at a neutral venue not too far away so everyone could get there easily.

    I can't speak for every arrangement, but our foster kids were treated exactly like we were. They came on our family holidays and outings with us, celebrated birthdays and Christmasses exactly like we did and just became extended members of our family.

    If it was possible for them to stay at their current schools they would, but things like that might vary depending on the council. The kids that we had more long term sometimes moved schools to local ones if it wasn't too disruptive to them, but it was usually the goal to keep them in the communities they were used to so they could have some consistency.

    Some did go back to their parents. It really depended on their individual circumstances and what worked best for the families involved. We had some who had parents who were unwell or facing problems that made home life difficult. Once things were more stable, they were supported to have the kids back gradually, starting with sleepovers for a couple of nights a week and working up to full time. Others went into longer term foster or adoption pathways, but again it really varied according to their circumstances. If they could be reunited with family, that was always the top priority rather than moving them into other care.

    It's not an easy situation for anyone, but I wouldn't say it necessarily makes it harder if you see them. It can be upsetting and they might have a lot of confusing feelings about what's going on. But I think staying in contact can also help them know that they're loved and wanted and that you're trying to do what's best for them, which I'm sure you are.

    I hope that's helpful in some way and that you're managing okay with all that you're going through at the moment.

    Have you got any contact with a social worker to talk through what might happen next?

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 9,775 Online Community Team

    How are things going @Zip? Have you managed to find out any more information about how your children will be cared for? Hope you're doing okay.

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