Fostering and Adoption
Fostering
Could you foster a child/children who cannot live at home?
What is Fostering?
Within South Ayrshire there is a dedicated Fostering and Adoption Team which undertakes
all assessments for Foster Carers and offers a cycle of support to carers when carers
are visited every two weeks. There is also a Foster Carer's support Groups which
meets every month and is run by carers themselves. South Ayrshire would also expect
carers to undertake training to assist them in caring for children placed.
Children requiring foster carers range in age from babies to teenagers and some
will live with carers for a short time until they can return to their families,
where others may require a longer period of time until they move to a permanent
family, through permanent fostering or adoption.
Carers are required to encourage contact with families and to attend various meeting
to progress care plans for children. Prospective carers do not require any formal
qualifications but must be interested in children, flexible and looking for a challenge.
People from all walks of life can foster. There is no need to be married and employed
or have children of your own, but experience of children would be an advantage.
South Ayrshire would welcome enquiries from people of all races, religion or cultures.
Assessment and preparation
When you express an interest in fostering and have had an initial visit from the
social worker, you will be invited to attend preparation groups and provided there
are no issues, you would progress to a full fostering assessment which should be
completed within 6 months from your application. A social worker will visit you
at home to carry out the assessment. Confidential enquiries will be made of your
local social work department and you will be asked to provide three referees. All
applicants need to have a medical examination and any health issues will need to
be explored. Smoking and obesity are areas that also need to be explored. Under
the current policy carers who smoke will not be offered placements of children under
three years of age and this may be subject to review.
Anyone interested in applying to foster will be subject to a Disclosure (Scotland)
check to find out if they have a criminal record and to check if they are on the
list of people disqualified from working with children. A record of offences will
need to be carefully looked into but, apart from some offences against children,
will not necessarily rule you out from fostering.
At the end of your assessment, the social worker will present a full report to the
agency's Adoption Panel who will consider your application and make a recommendation
of your suitability to the agency decision maker. It is the role of the agency decision
maker to consider whether or not to approve prospective foster carers and you would
be notified in writing of his decision.
If you would like to find out more about fostering, please contact:
South Ayrshire Council
Children and Families Services
Fostering and Adoption Team
Whitletts Area Centre
181 Whitletts Road
Ayr KA8 0JQ
Tel: 01292 267 675
email: fostering@south-ayrshire.gov.uk