It's All About Us - Living in a foster family

Foster families are ordinary people living in their own homes who offer children looked after a place to stay and support in a family environment. Some are single carers with older children. Many foster carers who we have are local to Wandsworth and have been carefully recruited, trained and chosen for being good with children and young people.

Each foster carer is approved to offer a placement to a specific age of young person and depending on the size of their home, accomodation and family etc they can care for one, two and on occasions three young people.

Carers undergo regular training to make sure that they are clued up on issues about children and young people who come to live in their homes. Carers will try and make you feel as relaxed and as welcome as they can, and will understand that it might take some time to adjust to living with different people and in different surroundings.

Carers support and work closely with social workers, parents and other professionals including schools and health workers to ensure the agreed plans for young people placed with them are carried out in the best way that they can be.

What this means for me
All families have their own way of doing things and it is important that you are welcomed into joining in with the regular family activities.

Your carers will be actively involved in all areas of your life as agreed in your care plan and will also include helping support your contact with family, friends and other important people in your life. Carers can help support and encourage you to make decisions about everyday life and will also liase with your parent /carer and the Social worker about other decisions.

As part of a family, you will be expected to join in the daily routine, assisting with chores, watching TV, socialising and having fun with the carer, their family and friends.

What does my foster family know about me?

The foster carers are given the important information so that they can help you in your daily life and to ensure that the plans agreed are carried out.
This will include information to meet the health, education, leisure, racial, cultural and any disability or special / specific needs.

The social worker will discuss you and your parents /carers what information is shared. Foster carers are expected to hold information safely and they are required to exercise confidentiality at all times. Any sharing information will be agreed by those involved in the plans on a need to know basis.

Similarly, having spoken with you first, your foster carer will share info from you with the school with the other professionals and the parents when they feel it is important. Information that potentially affects your safety will be handled carefully and depending on your age will be sensitively shared.

A record of all decisions, information given and received is recorded and young people will have various records in their what is known as a Red file relating to these issues. You have the right to have access to this file and you can ask your carer or social worker to go through it with you if you need help understanding everything in it!

Do I get my own room?

Yes, you will have your own room. Occasionally there might be reasons why sharing has to happen. This will be explained at the start of the placement or if sharing happens.

There are few occasions of young people having to share and the fostering service is recruiting foster carers who can offer single rooms for the young people who they foster.

What happens to all my things?

Depending on the size of the room and the amount of belongings a young person wishes to bring a plan will be agreed. You will be encouraged to make the room your own, so you might want to add posters, photo's etc. Foster carers will make a list with you when you arrive of all your belongings and clothes, and they will also make a list for you when you leave.

During your stay in fostering, you will receive pocket money and there is also a clothing allowance. You have a right to make choices about how this money is spent. We can help you open a savings account.

Some carers have rules about the items that they do not wish to have in their homes. While you might see this as strict and limiting your choices, carers have a responsibility to protect you from harm so they might restrict you from having only age appropriate games, videos /DVD's etc, candles due to the risk of fire, pets, highly important valuable and sentimental items and items that are potentially dangerous. At the start of the placement this will be discussed and any decisions recorded.

Items that need to be kept secure and are valuable will need to be looked after carefully to avoid loss and damage. Items thought to be stolen will also not be allowed in the foster carers home.

Overnight stays

There might be times when you want to stay overnight at friends houses and any plans for this can be discussed at the start of your placement of during your stay.

The foster carer can in discussion with you and your parent make decisions about overnight stays with friends and at their home. The decision of the carer in consultation with the social worker and the supervising social worker will be recorded. The checks required on stays are similar to those most reasonable parents will make to ensure the safety of all young people who are staying out with friends or whose friends are staying in their home, which includes speaking to the adults and getting their telephone number, address and return time the next day.