Residential to foster care transition

[bethr]

Hi all, i have had a few occurences recently where some young people i have been working with have been moved into foster care (from residential) regardless of whether or not they were ready (if i am qualified to say that!!!!!). This did get briefly discussed at the Studio III meeting today, but i wondered what experiences other people may have had with regards to this?

[steveg]

I heard on the radio (and it was radio 1 for that matter) that more than half of children with learning disablities are removed form the home setting into care. Not seen a paper yet today to comment further. I just thought that was such a high number!

[timp]

Are you sure you heard that one right Steve? I heard a report of a similar nature, but it was actually saying that more that half of all children of (I assume mildly) learning disabled parents are taken into care. Could be an important difference! Do we need an adjudication on this one?

[janeth]

Me I don't listen to Radio 1 so can't comment. Does anyone know what support and training foster carers get when they undertake to support emotionally damaged young poeple? My guess would be very little. The difficulty is that compared to residential services they are cheaper and often in the yp's place of origin so fulfill the criteria of local services too.

[delh]

I have a relative who fostered children from a range of traumatic backgrounds until retiring recently.
She attended some training, but probably not to the extent that we would imagine. She was given the most difficult and damaged children to look after, mainly on the grounds of her lengthy experience (30 years).

[forumAdmin]

Del
can you ask about the content and length of the training received

as a tangent off subject
http://studio3.org/members/showthread.php?t=416

[bethr]

During the review of a young person the other day, i heard about a 'specialist foster placement service' from a guardian ad litem. He didn't seem to know a lot about it other knowing that they would receive LOTS of training and support. My question is, why don't foster carers receive lots of training and support anyway??!!

I know that the answer will probably come down to funding again, but surely it is a false economy. From my experience, young people are usually put in a variety of foster placements before they go to residential care or secure. This then costs the LA lots of money. I don't know what other people think, but maybe LA's have got things a bit backwards?! Why not use residential care first, and look at foster placments as a long term reality? Please don't say funding again!

[steveg]

Just coming back to this late. Maybe Tim was right, i may have heard it wrong as i usually not fully awake that early and didnt see it on news later. If i can find a thread to it i will get back

[steveg]

Yes i misheard link below

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4752887.stm