1/ Is it a regular/guarenteed income or is there a down side to that?

2/ How does schooling go for school age children,.Obviously my children will stay where they are but will the foster children change schools? Only cant be picking up from 2 schools at same time?

3/me n my husband go out once a month and my kids sleep over my parents hse around the corner>? Can this happen with foster children or would that not be possible? IF not how do u all manage to go out with dh etc

thanks for your help in advance

Fostering with a local authority doesn't as a rule give you an income. You get an allowance to feed and clothe etc any placements.

I believe that private agencies pay a wage but I don't know whether you get anything when you don't have a placement.

Schooling depends on the circumstances, some children stay in their own schools, some would move to school where you are.

Anyone who will be left alone with foster children will have to be police checked before you could leave them.

Hope this helps

thanks f3554. I noticed u foster just new borns - but in all the info I have received from all agencies none of them mention just fostering newborns-how does that happen? I'd be happy to do that as I would think that would be less disruptive to my own children apart from the emotional side? Do u find u constantly got work or does it vary?

There are specialist schemes run by some local authorities which pay retainers between placements - these retainers can be from £20 to £200 or more, but are usually in order to keep a carer available for harder to place children. So usually for challenging teenagers, complicated situations with younger children, children with severe disabilities, that sort of thing.

Fostered children are supposed to stay in their local schools now unless there are safety issues (or unless they are being placed hours and hours away). Some local authorities will pay for taxis to take the fostered children to school, others will expect you to do that yourselves.

It is not a legal obligation that anyone staying with fostered children has a CRB form but many agencies and local authorities do insist on that. Really depends on their policies. Anyone who is caring for the children regularly on an overnight basis though might well need not just a crb form but also to be assessed as respite carers, as that is in effect what they will be providing.

mykidz We are approved to take children 0-3 years old but after many years of taking children up to 9 years old when our fostering department was stretched, we made the decision that, for us, our preference was babies.

Occasionally we are asked if we will take an older child but I rarely do.

I think that caring for newborns can be just as disruptive as caring for older children and it is certainly more tiring at times.

MKRMY, your posts sit very uncomfortably with me, sorry, it may be the way you've worded them

nyon & f3554 thank u very much u've both been extremly helpful. I know i will get more info once started process but wanted to know some information 1st to show ive done a bit of research and to make sure it is the right thing for me and my family.

2 sugars - sorry dont understand? Just trying to clarify all information im not sure of regarding fostering before I make a big decision in my life.Im very much straight to the point person.?

Hello nthere I am also very intersted in fostering how do I go about it. I have worked as a childminder for the past years and now fancy a change. My eldest daughter will be going touniversity soon. Any tips etc and info very much appreciated..

OP-
usually there is a fee element in the fostering allowance, not a lot, but the allowance should be generous enough to provide an income as they are paying for the child's room and utilities as well as everything else.
You don't get paid when you don't have a placement but that's rare - especially if you are prepared to take emergency placements or be an emergency carer at times.
Depending n the age they will take bus or taxi back from school.You are expected to transport them places but if you can't, they must make allowances.
You can have approved babysitters, probably not at your parents house at first, but they will certainly be able to come and look after them at your house. You need to have any babysitters checked with the department.
HTH

that was really useful kat-thankyou for taking the time!

I work for a private fostering agency that pays an allowance with no fee element. I don't get paid when I don't have a placement (it's called a 'retainer' if you do), so it's not a regular income. A foster child isn't allowed to stay anywhere overnight unless it's either respite with another carer(we get 21 days pro rata) or perhaps a special occasion for the child authorised by social services.

If you want to foster with our agency, you have to be able to transport children to and from their current schools. This could be for years remember as 'short term' doesn't always mean that! I'm told some Local Authorities will pay for school run taxis, but it would normally be paid by the carer.

foster mummies, does anyone know of a situation where a child has been allowed to stay over night with a member of their own family ie a cousin?

ABC - sorry to hear you are still having trouble. they should certainly promote contact with family, and that can be overnight contact.

I have been fostering for 18months now. We have 2 Brothers placed with us through and agency. With our agency we had to agree that I would give up my Job as the main carer so that i would be a home for the children. We get paid an allowence, this has to cover all aspects of the childs living, activties, clothes, school equipment, trips, photos, presants for christmas and birthdays, presants for their family who they have contact with at christmas and birthdays, pocket money and saving accounts, i'm sure theres more we pay. all in all theres not much left to say that it was anything to wards a wage would be a mistake.
The boys have been placed with us permantly, this means until they leave education or move to inderpendant living.

I pick up from 3 diffrent schools asthe boys and my daughter all go to diffrent schools, it can be worked out and schools and friends will try and help you the best they can.

Over the summer all 3 children went to stay at my mum and dad's house. They had to have there CRB checks updated and it was agreed with the social workers and the boys Mum.
I would say that any child placed with will have to have settled in well and have built a relationship with you and your parents before you introduce an overnight stay at your parents. maybe the first stay you would sleep as well incase they were any problems and you were there to talk them through.