EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO ASK ABOUT FOSTERING (WELL ALMOST...)

People who are wondering about entering fostering tend not to ask the questions they really want to know. They usually vague questions such as; "What's it like?' If I was starting out again I'd ask the following, more specific questions.  And I'll try to answer them honestly, from my own...

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FOSTERING FEELGOOD

Something we're not very good at in this world is giving ourselves a boost.There are so many terrible things happening around us it almost seems selfish to make ourselves feel good. But I worked with a kind man way back, I always remember once somebody saying to him; "Have you had a good day?"and...

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THE PEANUT BUTTER KNIFE

You learn something new every day in fostering. That's if you have enough of your wits about you, what with putting into practice all the little things you've already taught yourself. Not to mention if you've got enough energy left to keep your eyes and ears peeled and your brain in gear. The...

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FOSTERING AN OLDER CHILD

NO-ONE EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION I have to keep this one short, because it's just an inkling. Our new placement, Glenn, has been with us a couple of weeks and is settling in. And then again he isn't. And the ways in which he isn't settling in leads me to an unsettling thought. In...

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SUPERMARKET SURPRISES

Fostering is great, but anything that offers opportunity comes with challenges. For me, and most other carers I speak to, the biggest bane is the thing called Contact. Which can take many forms. Contact (If you're a reader who doesn't foster) is an arrangement whereby the real parents (or 'significant...

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