There's this flippin' TV ritual every summer, happens about halfway through the school holidays. As a foster mum it's started to get my goat.Happens every summer, usually a Thursday, 6.00am. A level results come out. Breakfast TV sends cameras and reporters to schools for pictures of delighted kids, proud parents. By lunchtime it's still a 'hot' story because the 'experts' have crunched the...
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
FOSTER CHILDREN AND THEIR MUM
He was worried about his mum. He didn't come to me and say 'I'm worried about my mum', you have to work these things out for yourself.He was late home after going out to see friends. The late thing was no big deal, worth a word but he barked back;"Fer f's sake, gimme a break!"You never know what's boiling up in foster children, nor do they generally.I could have said something like;"Don't talk to...
Saturday, August 15, 2020
COUNTING SHEEP
Some people in fostering stick in the mind. I'm often reminded of one particular foster dad I met a while ago at a support meeting. Blue Sky set these sessions up and a Blue Sky person or two are in attendance but tend to take a back seat and let us foster parents sound off. They hop into the conversation as and when we need a professional steer or a top-up of facts or information.This dad was nearing...
Sunday, August 09, 2020
CONTACT JOY
So we had a strange 'contact' meeting between eldest foster child and a couple of members of his real family.We had to do it outdoors, so we met up in a park. We had to keep our distance so we laid out cushions on blankets 2 metres apart.We brought some snacks, still in their wrappers, which we sprayed with anti-bacteria and wiped dry as we handed them round.Sounds like a nightmare? Yes, but...