"I'M BORED..." I don't remember being bored as often when I was a child as children are nowadays. And fostered children seems to get bored even more quickly than our own children. A real-life Downton Abbey-type Lord of the Manor once said "The average scullery maid now expects more excitement in a weekend than her grandmother expected in her entire lifetime." So maybe this increasing need for...

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"Innocent Parent" left a long and heartfelt comment about the post below this one, with a few digs at Foster Carers and the system in general. The thing I took from the comment was a moment to think what it would be like to have your own children taken away. I've had Social Workers tell me that, shockingly, some parents are, on balance, glad to see the back of them.  I imagine that if you...

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CONTACT - WHAT DO WE THINK? This comment was added today by a new reader: "I have just discovered your blog and am so pleased. I have thought about doing it myself but with 3 kids all very young in placement plus my own teenager the time is never there! I have tried really hard to get contact stopped for my little ones as the family brutally abused in every way and the psychological trauma is reawakened...

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You know how you always think of the perfect put-down about 5 minutes too late? Well, today, for about the first time in my life, it came out right away, and it was a great feeling. It all started a week ago. Driving home on the school run I was waiting to pull out onto a busy roundabout, the car behind hooted. You just don't take any chances with looked-afters in the car. I waved sweetly at the...

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