fostering

marykeogh7

I am a single lady aged 54 interested in fostering. Ideally I would like to start with two children. Can anyone tell me how long the training takes and what age group are beginners usually asked to care for. I have a 22 year old daughter myself in her final year of college. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Morag

You will find a lot of information here http://www.fosteringfirstireland.ie/

francismary

Thank you, will check it out.

Cat Melodeon

Sorry for jumping on the thread, but does anyone on here have any direct experience of fostering or know of an online forum which discusses it? It's something I'd love to do, but not until my own kids are a good bit older. I've worked with children in crisis and the lack of sufficient places for emergency foster care in particular is shameful. It's a tough process for all involved though, I'd love an insight from someone who has done it (or been through it).

John Mason

There is a good fostering forum on the parenting site that we are not allowed mention here

Morag

Fostering comes up here every now and then but I guess we just don't have that many boards user who are foster parents and want to share about being foster parents on a site as big and broad as boards is, esp as they have to be careful not to ID the kids they have or may have and what they may say online can be monitored.

As a result targeted parenting sites tend to have more discussion about fostering esp those who have private forums for those discussions, or sites which get sponsored by the HSE so that flyers for it appear in Dr offices or clinics around the country.

http://www.rollercoaster.ie/Discussions/tabid/119/ForumGroup/1255/ForumView/1/Default.aspx
There are discussions here, but fair warning there are a lot of ads and it can be hard to navigate and at times be filled with insider abbreviations.

It would be nice if there were more resources about being a foster parent here on boards.ie but given that it is a site with a huge range of communities and topics I can understand why foster parents have to be circumspect.

francismary

Sharrow wrote: »

You will find a lot of information here http://www.fosteringfirstireland.ie/

Thank you, I have set up appointment with FFI.

Hellrazer

We`ve been fostering for 9 years now.Feel free to pm any questions.

As Sharrow says Id prefer not to discuss it on thread for obvious reasons ie. the child identity etc.

I think I made a request in the forum request section about a Fostering forum under the Parenting forum a while back.Dont think the idea took off.


It would be a great idea to have a foster care forum(it would have to be a private one) as I feel that the whole road to becoming successful foster parents is littered with obstacles.

Some of these would have you pulling your hair out and having a single resource point would be great.

The Irish Foster Care association is an amazing body for information.

Do a search of this forum using my username and you can read a few of my posts on it.

Annmarie2

Hi all, I am also a foster carer for 5 years and would love if there was a foster care forum.

acermaple

francismary wrote: »

Thank you, I have set up appointment with FFI.

Love to hear how you got on francismary.

acermaple

eh I think we all know what foster caring is!!! Not sure what your point is.

cutymonalisa

acermaple wrote: »

eh I think we all know what foster caring is!!! Not sure what your point is.

And your point is? That comment would indicate to me that you actually dont know what 'foster caring' is.

Orion

acermaple was replying to a post that has since been deleted for shilling/trolling. It wasn't targetted at any of the visible posts.

taylor sparrow

Hi everyone,

I am 22 years old and I have always had a great interest in becoming a foster parent. Could anybody please tell me what the minimum age at which I can become a foster parent is in Ireland today?

Thanks in advance.

lolli

taylor sparrow wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I am 22 years old and I have always had a great interest in becoming a foster parent. Could anybody please tell me what the minimum age at which I can become a foster parent is in Ireland today?

Thanks in advance.

You have to be over 25.

LegacyUser

Hey all,

I am inquiring about becoming a foster parent in Ireland and I have some questions!
How many people actually get approved following an application to become a foster parent? Most or only a selective few?
Can I foster children of any age I choose, eg, 0-3, or 3 months to 3 years, or is it selected for me?
How long does the application process actually take, and what is involved in the home study?
And, if I chose children between the ages of 0-3, could I be placed with twins/siblings, or more than one child at a time?

Thanks in advance!

LegacyUser

hello, i want to foster young infants and toddlers (0-4) but i am wondering are there much children in this age group in foster care in ireland or is there a higher demand for foster parents for older age groups? children over this age would not be suitable for me in my present circumstances, thanks

araic88

I don't know too much about fostering but have always been interested in it and would like to apply in the future.
I believe there are more older children who need foster care, from www.fosteringfirstireland.ie :

"Can I choose which age group or sex I would prefer to foster?
Yes, you can.
However, you need to bear in mind that the majority of children referred to FFI are in the 8+ age group and we tend to have more boys than girls. You are far more likely to have continuous placements if you are willing to take teenagers as well as younger children."

I also wonder would they want a decent reason to only be able/willing to take children of a specific age (I'm not saying you don't have one) so might look more favourably on applicants who would take a wider age range. Still, I think there is a real shortage of foster families in Ireland so you are at that advantage.

Thals: the number of children you take would be up to you and your home I imagine. They prefer foster children to have their own bedroom (but young siblings can share they say) so a lot depends on the space you have.

taylor sparrow

Is anybody here a foster parent with the HSE?
I'd like to speak to somebody about fostering children aged 0-2 or 3.
What was your approval/application process and home study like?
When did you receive your first placement after being approved?
And also are there many children in this age category in need of a foster home?
I hope to apply to become a foster parent as soon as I can and would like some questions answered first!
Thanks

KoolKid

taylor sparrow wrote: »

Is anybody here a foster parent with the HSE?
I'd like to speak to somebody about fostering children aged 0-2 or 3.
What was your approval/application process and home study like?
When did you receive your first placement after being approved?
And also are there many children in this age category in need of a foster home?
I hope to apply to become a foster parent as soon as I can and would like some questions answered first!
Thanks

Hi
We are just nearing the end of this process with the HSE.
The approval process is a long one . Our took almost a year. The report is completed & goes to the HSE committee in the next few weeks. The verdict of that committee is generally instant then.
Have been told numerous times by the social worker that children in need always outnumber the foster carers available.
We have been told , if approved expect a child within a week.

taylor sparrow

Thank you very much for your response, it was very helpful.

Can I ask which age group do you hope to foster?
Also, what was your home study like, did you have to prepare the house for children (make safe etc) before the home study or are recommendations made during the home study as to how you need to alter your house to prepare for placements?

Apologies for asking so many questions, I am very interested in this area and can't wait to be a foster parent!

KoolKid

Questions are goo. We had lots.
The home assessments are very intense. The initial interview will be very off putting & you you get the feeling they don't want you or are trying to put you off it.
As you progress & after you do the training it all comes together & it all makes sense. We are also looking at newborn to 4 or 5.
You also need to decide during the assessment what type of fostering you wish to be approved for.
There are also various assessments to the suitability of the home & what changes may be needed. These can be simple things like moving dangerous things out of reach to addition requirements like locks & stair guards etc.
As the assessment progresses the interviews become easier as you get to know the social worker better. Also if anything arises during the assessment that would prevent you from fostering the assessment would be stopped & you would be told why.
With that in mind , we took it one step at at time & seen each interview as another step closer.

taylor sparrow

Have you got any idea as to how many people actually get approved after applying to become a foster parent?
I am currently living in the countryside, do you think this would affect the number of placements I would receive or my approval to be able to foster?
Also, what is the training like... hours during the week, duration?!
I am only in my early 20's now so I still have a long time to wait before I can foster!

Thanks!

KoolKid

From what I've heard most people who go all through the process are accepted,
I think they are able to tell early on if your not suitable.
I'm honestly not sure how being in the country would affect things, most examples we would have heard would have related to Dublin.
The training for us was 3 full Saturdays in a row, It was a lot but was well worth it.
Being 20 you have plenty of time to think about it and research it more.
What is driving your decision to foster at such a young age?

taylor sparrow

I have wanted to do it for as long as I can remember. I just really want to help as many children as I can. I am studying social care and I have worked in areas relating to foster care and child protection and it was something I was very interested in.
Thanks for all your help! I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your application process!
Please keep me filled in on how things go once you are approved

KoolKid

I will do.If you need anything else give me a shout.

foster parent to be

Hi, I also have a huge interest in becoming a foster parent but I don't know enough about it and would like to find out more!
I live in the country side in Ireland and am wondering does anybody here who fosters live in the countryside?
I would love to foster 0 to 2 year olds, any gender and race, but are there many kids this age needing placements and will my being in the countryside affect the number of placements I get?
I have no option or plan to move to a city or town now so I hope it can work for me where I am.
I would love if any foster parents living in the countryside could respond to me!
I can't wait to begin my foster parent process!!!
Thanks all

KoolKid

Sorry all my info is based on being in Dublin. But if you call the HSE I'm sure they will point you in the right direction.

4th horsemen

Hi,

Myself and girlfriend of 11 years are also thinking of fostering,
We bought our own house beginning of the year, it's in the country 4 miles from town and 16 miles from city.
before we contact Fostering First Ireland someone might be able to give us some feedback on a few questions:
I work full time and my girlfriend works part time (8hr contract), do you think she could keep her part time work?

We have 3 dogs will that go against us?, one of them is a big fella of 46kg, They are all very friendly playful dogs and not aggressive whatsoever.

We don't have children ourselves will that go against us? but I have Nieces and nephews and we mind my nephew on occassions and my girlfriend babysits for her friends etc.

Thanks

KoolKid

4th horsemen wrote: »

I work full time and my girlfriend works part time (8hr contract), do you think she could keep her part time work?

This one is probably going to come down to what type of fostering you have in mind & what age group you are looking at.
My wife was working part time , but as we were being accessed for long-term as well & ages from new born we did agree during the assessment that she would be giving up work if we were approved.

4th horsemen wrote: »

We have 3 dogs will that go against us?, one of them is a big fella of 46kg, They are all very friendly playful dogs and not aggressive whatsoever.

As above it will depend on what you are looking to do.
This would come up in a part of the assessment that looks at the safety of the home & the environment in general.
Another couple that were in training and assessment at the same time as us were in a similar environment as yourselves. There were accepted for age group 5 and over. They had a large house in the country & many different pets.

4th horsemen wrote: »

We don't have children ourselves will that go against us? but I have Nieces and nephews and we mind my nephew on occasions and my girlfriend babysits for her friends etc.

Not at all. Its mostly based on life experience. Your future plans for children will be questioned in great detail though.


The whole assessment is very detailed & every aspect or your life is examined in great detail.
Be prepared for that & be prepared to be very open & honest in every answer you give.

4th horsemen

Thanks for the swift response KoolKid and detailed answers.
I think the preferred would be long term fostering for young kids, 3 upwards. If it came down to it I think herself could give up work as I have a decent income to cover mortgage and bills etc but think she would like to have part time work as won't be too much left from one wage after all bills n food etc etc but I guess all that is subject to criteria and what works and what does not.

The dogs are very friendly, the only thing that I would be concerned about is first impressions on house visits as the dogs get excited and happy when people call around and have my hands full for a few minutes making sure they are not jumping and acting the eejit etc.
I usually put them in the dog run and leave one in and bring the others in one at a time.

They will want to meet and see them I imagine.

KoolKid

If you were to go for an age of 4 or 5 upwards then part time work would not be an issue as she could possible work around the school hours.
Another option is some sort of work from home.
One warning I will give you is the initial interview is very abrupt .
You will get the impression they don't want you. Its just to see how comitted you are, after that it gets easier, just be prepared for very personal & intrusive questioning.
Good luck with it.

4th horsemen

Sound, I can understand that as it is a very big commitment and they need to be sure.

Thanks for all the advice and answers.
It's appreciated

Regards

KoolKid

Your very welcome.
Let me know how you get on.

Rower2

people aren't able to choose age groups to foster - you can highlight a preference but it is not a process of cherry picking. you can choose to be short term or long term carers. i actually think there would be a question mark over why you would pick certain age groups like other people have asked as in 0-3.

also people dont pass because there is a need for carers. they pass or dont pass based on assessment of suitability.

Rower2

KoolKid wrote: »

This one is probably going to come down to what type of fostering you have in mind & what age group you are looking at.
My wife was working part time , but as we were being accessed for long-term as well & ages from new born we did agree during the assessment that she would be giving up work if we were approved.


As above it will depend on what you are looking to do.
This would come up in a part of the assessment that looks at the safety of the home & the environment in general.
Another couple that were in training and assessment at the same time as us were in a similar environment as yourselves. There were accepted for age group 5 and over. They had a large house in the country & many different pets.

Not at all. Its mostly based on life experience. Your future plans for children will be questioned in great detail though.


The whole assessment is very detailed & every aspect or your life is examined in great detail.
Be prepared for that & be prepared to be very open & honest in every answer you give.

the HSE have a list of dangerous dogs. you could ring a fostering department and ask about it.

Rower2

4th horsemen wrote: »

Hi,

Myself and girlfriend of 11 years are also thinking of fostering,
We bought our own house beginning of the year, it's in the country 4 miles from town and 16 miles from city.
before we contact Fostering First Ireland someone might be able to give us some feedback on a few questions:
I work full time and my girlfriend works part time (8hr contract), do you think she could keep her part time work?

We have 3 dogs will that go against us?, one of them is a big fella of 46kg, They are all very friendly playful dogs and not aggressive whatsoever.

We don't have children ourselves will that go against us? but I have Nieces and nephews and we mind my nephew on occassions and my girlfriend babysits for her friends etc.

Thanks

hi there,

not having children wouldnt go against you.

KoolKid

Rower2 wrote: »

people aren't able to choose age groups to foster - you can highlight a preference but it is not a process of cherry picking. you can choose to be short term or long term carers. i actually think there would be a question mark over why you would pick certain age groups like other people have asked as in 0-3.

also people dont pass because there is a need for carers. they pass or dont pass based on assessment of suitability.

I'm sorry but you are wrong here. You can choose your age groups. I think your comments re people asking for babies or newborns is very offensive to people fostering or wishing to foster for genuine reasons. If there is any question mark over people's reasons for selecting age that will show up during the assessment. Unfortunately in our society there are lots of babies and new borns taken into care. Those are the ones that need help the most and finding carers for these is not easy. Unfortunately, also in our society there are people who make such comments about people who have genuine reasons to care and so much love and attention to give....
For the record we have a young baby boy who we have from one week old. We requested young ages for a number of our own reasons. We were also specific in stating we did not want certain age groups. This has nothing to do with cherry picking. It's about what is suitable for our family and circumstances. Having a teenage daughter obviously teenage boys or girls were out as we didn't want a certain impact on her.
Also foster carers can refuse any placement for any reason. It's all about what's best for the child and best for the foster family.

Rower2

Didn't mean to come across insensitive, actually thought I'd deleted that post

I was trying to say people can highlight preference but it, as everything else, will become a point of assessment.

KoolKid

It comes up numerous times during assessment but it is not a condition of acceptance. You can change this at any stage later based you your own needs, your family needs or the needs of any other children you may have in your care.

4th horsemen

Rower2 wrote: »

the HSE have a list of dangerous dogs. you could ring a fostering department and ask about it.

Thanks but my dogs are not on the Dangerous Breed List.
And that list is flawed in many ways and I don't agree with it. But that is a different conversation

JamesAlexs

I want to foster young infants and toddlers (0-4) but I am wondering are there many children in this age group in foster care in the UK or is there a higher demand for foster parents for older age groups? Tell me the best paid fostering agencies

Loveinapril

JamesAlexs wrote: »

I want to foster young infants and toddlers (0-4) but I am wondering are there many children in this age group in foster care in the UK or is there a higher demand for foster parents for older age groups? Tell me the best paid fostering agencies

As this is an Irish website, the advice will mainly be Irish based. I would imagine that there are higher numbers of older kids in care as issues around parental capacity are often flagged when kids start school.

eviltwin

JamesAlexs wrote: »

I want to foster young infants and toddlers (0-4) but I am wondering are there many children in this age group in foster care in the UK or is there a higher demand for foster parents for older age groups? Tell me the best paid fostering agencies

Best paid?? You don't foster for the money.

You get an allowance and it's the same across the board.

Loveinapril

eviltwin wrote: »

Best paid?? You don't foster for the money.

You get an allowance and it's the same across the board.

It should be added that the allowance is also for the child- it needs to pay for clothes, food, presents, utilities etc. Putting money in savings is also encouraged. Foster carers will tell you that any allowance doesn't cover the full cost of care so as Eviltwin says, it is definitely not for the money.

Plumbthedepths

JamesAlexs wrote:

I want to foster young infants and toddlers (0-4) but I am wondering are there many children in this age group in foster care in the UK or is there a higher demand for foster parents for older age groups? Tell me the best paid fostering agencies

If money is a factor, tbh fostering is not for you. From my own experience the allowance rarely covers the costs involved. We have fostered from a 6 month old to a 16 year old.

KoolKid

Money doesn't come into it & certainly doesn't cover all their requirements and needs. if your asking questions like that its definitely not for you.