LOSE WEIGHT THE FOSTERING WAY?

 Fostering plugs the foster parent into a whole network of people who are employed to make contributions to the fostering and ensure the fostering is working.

My partner also contributes everything he can to keep up my wellbeing, not that he's a doctor.

My fostering agency, Blue Sky, allocate each of us our own, regular social worker whose priority is to support, advise and care for us foster parents.

The local authority provide a social worker whose prority is the child.

Obviously the two roles overlap in many ways, but everything gets ironed out over mugs of tea around the kitchen table.

There are other professionals besides.

For example, training officers hold regular sessions. Then there's the "significant others" of the child; parents, siblings et cetera, who're required to attend contact sessions with the child.

The list of people who are in and out of our lives infostering is long, but it isn't endless.

At least that's what I thought before we signed up for a Parent and Child placement.

I'll list the prominant ones, the ones we're getting to know well for the simple reason they are keeping close watch over our placement, and consequently are visiting endlessly.

I don't mind, they all help.

The young mother has her own social worker, solicitor, parenting assessor and guardian (she's only 16) The child (8 months) has his own social worker, solicitor, health visitor and guardian. 

All the aformentioned visit around once every week or two. 

The mother has a councillor and a one-on-one tutor who she sees weekly. Back at the local authority HQ there are overseers, legal advisors and line managers who keep apprised digitally.

Somewhere amidst this revolving door of professionals needing regular updates is out own lovely Blue Sky social worker who is forever reminding us to look after ourselves because if we get too tirned or down in the mouth we won't be able to foster at the top of our game.

A lot of mugs of tea…

Listen; I've lost nearly 7lbs since we started Parent and Child, I'm the lightest I've been since I tried Weighwatchers 20 years ago.

I'm not suggesting that anyone goes into fostering as part of a weight-loss plan.

My partner puts it down the tea. When I queried  he replied "Well, tea's a diuretic isn't it. Everything's going right through you without touching the sides."

Did I mention he's NOT a doctor...