NEXT BABY STEP FOR A FOSTER MUM

 Fostering; where a family (or a solo adult) takes in a child who needs caring for. The fosterers could be a mum and dad with children of their own, or a single person. They could be in work or between jobs, or retired. Might be religious or not, might have pets* or not. There's no template for us fostering folk. 

It takes all sorts.

Nor is there a template for the type of fostering one might go for.

For example; there's the common or garden placement of a child whose real family home has broken down in some way. The child is considered at risk. But even with that sort of fostering every child is unique, every chaotic family are a case in point. 

But there are other ways to foster. Respite care is a good example, where the fostering family takes in a child whose foster parents need a break or maybe have to go off for a family wedding or suchlike. Respite care is very rewarding in many ways.

Then there's Emergency care, which is where a child needs a bed for the night and needs it pronto. Emergency carers need everything from a bedroom ready to be used to a new toothbrush still in its carton.

There's all sorts of in-between fostering, if I can put it like that. But the one I'm aiming to go for next is Parent and Child.

Blue Sky have been nudging me to think about it for a while now. 

What made them think I might be up for it? That's easy; they don't miss a trick these social workers; sharp as the proverbial tack.

See, I'm now a young gran! Yep, a 'nana' to give me my official title, and the whole experience has put my maternals back in full bloom.

I'm cuddling cushions and encouraging the dog onto the bed in the morning.

Last time our social worker was here I banged on about how I'd bought curtains to pull across the front door and keep out the letterbox draught. I'd bought a new rug for the living room. Cleaned all the insides of our windows with vinegar.

I'm nesting.

And therefore easy prey for the proposition of looking after a parent and child.

The Parent and Child isn't necessarily a young mum and a newborn, although I'm told that's the most common profile. It's the one that would suit me best to get me started in what is, after all, a specialist type of fostering.

Thing is, I've done it before, once, way back a long while ago, before I joined Blue Sky. Bottom line is that I believe I could have done better. The young mum was 17, it was her second baby. Looking back I went hell for leather to help the mum shape up and be good enough to keep the baby. Her first-born had been removed and put up for adoption. In the case of this young mum I was instinctively driven to do my utmost to help the mother keep her baby. With hindsight I should have given more priority to the baby's needs, and adoption was the best thing for her.

I learned on the job as I went along.

I can't overstate by how much Blue Sky's support and preparation is superior to what I had way back then. 

I'm going to be helped, advised and guided every step of the way this time, and I can't wait.

Blue Sky appears to have staff dedicated to Parent and Child, and one of their head honchos is a fantastic person who… used to be a foster carer. Not only that, she used to specialise in Parent and Child.

When it comes to help and guidance, you can't beat someone who's walked the walk as well as talked the talk.

I had a virtual meeting with her to get the ball rolling, it was scheduled for two hours.

Three hours later we relunctantly pressed "Leave the meeting".

She's my new chum.

And I'm going into Parent and Child…me and my new chum plus my regular social worker and her team. Together.

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* Pets. I've only heard of one circumstance where pets were a deal-breaker. A single man who'd enquired to be a foster dad. He informed social workers that he owned a collection of live snakes, one measuring eight feet long. All of which had the run of the house...