fostering? anyone out there foster as well as childmind???

[ladybug]

Hi I have been childminding for a few years now and also we have been approved foster carers for 5 years, is there anyone out there who also fosters?

[mrs robbie williams]

not yet - but have been approached by ss to provide mon to fri care to lo so watch this space..............:thumbsup:

[jadavi]

We are approved fosterers but were just about to start and my mum needed a place to go so she had the room instead. Now I am childminding as 2 of my children have left home I'm considering it again ...keep in touch and let us know how it goes wont you.

[ladybug]

All I would say is be very careful!!!! We have had a foster child with us for 5 years and 2 weeks ago he walked out and made some ridiculous allegations against us (with the help of his older sister) so he could go and stay with his sister, of course all allegations have to be investigated but this has turned our whole world upside down and I have had to inform Ofsted................feel like a criminal and have been treated like one by ss, the plus side is i have informed all my parents and they have all been so supportive, cant wait for it all to be over! :0(

[brightstar]

I fostered when I first became a registered childminder, but felt I couldn't cope with both. I had to take the foster children to their usual school, no matter how far away it was. Attend hospital and doctors appointments with some very unsavoury parents, have endless visits from social services and health visitors. And take them to visit their parents 4 or 5 times a week. Its a full time job in itself, and thats without the poor childrens behavioural problems and issues. I felt this impacted too much on the service I wanted to offer as a childminder, and as I needed a proper income I gave it up. I was really sad about it for ages though because I enjoyed doing it. If you have someone who can share the burden it would'nt be so bad, but DH works a lot of hours too, so that was that. :(

[kblake]

Me and my husband are respite foster carers and have been for 8 years. My parents have fostered for 20 years, but me and my husband only do respite, and its mainly my parents foster child we have, who is pretty much my brother, they have fostered him for 10 years now. Actually I have got him next week for a week so wish me luck, he has just hit the stroppy teenager stage

[pears]

same as cheekymonkey started same time as minding but couldnt do both as fostering was too full on with a lot of commitments and my minding was making my days busier so had to choose.x

[Twinkles]

Be aware that SOME areas will not allow you to do both.
I know people who have been turned down for fostering purely because they childmind too and SS feel that , as cheekymonkey says , getting children to contact , appointments etc can be difficult if you have childminding obligations too.