You have chosen the following example:

A single mother needs to go into hospital for a minor operation but has no extended family living nearby to help her care for the children.


• Both children were anxious to see that their mum was ok and the foster carer took them to visit her daily.
  
  
• The children's mother was very grateful that the foster carer brought her children so often and started to develop a close friendship with the foster carer.
  
  
• When the children's mother was due to come out of the hospital the foster carer arranged a little party for the children and their mum.
  
  
• The foster carer was asked to provide respite care for the children whilst mother was recuperating at home.
  
  
• The children visited one weekend a month to stay from Friday night to Sunday tea time for the next six months.
  
  
• When the children's mother no longer needed the support of foster care she still continued to visit occasionally with the children.
  
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You have chosen the following example:

The social work office have received separate phone calls from a health visitor and a nursery about the same child. A visit to the family home takes place and finds the child's mother unconscious due to the effects of alcohol. A three year old little girl is found in the flat in a very poor state. The child is placed in foster care until further investigation takes place..


• After some negotiations with the social worker mother admits to having an alcohol problem. She agrees to enter a rehabilitation centre to help her provide a better environment for her daughter.
  
  
• The foster carer finds that the little girl is desperate to eat anything put before her and eats rapidly, also taking food from other people's plates.
  
  
• All of the child's clothes are in a poor state of repair and are too small. The carer purchase's a whole new set of clothes and carefully puts away the child's old clothes.
  
  
• Contact with the child's mother takes place at the foster carers home and generally goes well. However on one occasion the mother arrives at the carers home late at night having been out drinking. The carer explains that the mothers daughter is asleep in bed and persuades her to go home peacefully.
  
  
• After four months a place becomes available in a rehabilitation unit and mother moves in.
  
  
• Progress goes very well and after three months plans are made for the little girl to join her mother in the centre where more work can be started to look at parenting skills. A month later she joins her mother.
  
  
• After eight months the carers family have become very attached to the little girl but are very pleased that the signs are so positive that things are going to work out for both mother and child.
  
  
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You have chosen the following example:

A school girl has given birth to a baby girl and for a number of reasons feels that she is unable to keep her child. A foster placement is needed whilst we establish that this is truly what the young person wants to do and if so what long-term plans need to be put in place for the child.


• The foster carers collected the child directly from hospital
  
  
• They were asked to ensure that the child attended various health appointments as she had suffered a small injury during birth.
  
  
• The child's grand parents visited regularly and the foster carers helped them to come to terms with the decision to place the child for adoption.
  
  
• The foster carers urged that the child should be adopted where some form of contact between the child and the grand parents could continue to take place.
  
  
• The foster carers continued to care for the child until she was eight weeks old when an application was then made to adopt her.
  
  
• The foster carers were invited to visit the child in her new adoptive family but decided not to as it "would make us quite sad really as we so much enjoyed having her".
  
  
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You have chosen the following example:

• A parent is suffering from depression and needs some time to obtain help for her condition. A foster placement is needed where she can visit frequently to keep in contact with them.
  
  
  • While the child was in foster care the foster carers were able to develop a good relationship with the mother. So much so that the social worker relied upon them as the mother tended to conceal problems from her.
    
    
  • Over time the children thrived and were very happy when their mother started to feel better.
    
    
  • Once over the practical issues the social worker helped the mother look at some of the circumstances that had helped to bring on her depression.
    
    
  • As mum improved the children started to spend time at home and eventually the foster carers said their goodbyes to the children.
    
    
  • "This was really rewarding fostering to do. We saw the children leave happy and although we shed at tear the day they left we feel that the children's future at home with Mum is very certain."
    
    

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You have chosen the following example:

A child of seven has told their grandmother about some incidents that might be sexual abuse by a parent. A foster family is needed to keep the child safe whilst the situation can be investigated.


• The little boy is very upset to have left his parents and move to a strangers house. He is certain that it is his fault that he has left his home and his mum and dad.
  
  
• The foster carer and her children try very hard to make him feel happy and at home with them.
  
  
• It is decided that the little boy should be interviewed by the police about the concerns. The foster carer is asked to go along with him to help comfort him. The foster carer finds this all very upsetting.
  
  
• One parent, the father, is strongly suspected of carrying out the abuse whilst there is no indication that the mother knew anything about the abuse.
  
  
• Mother begins to see her little boy again which makes them both much happier.
  
  
• The little boys father continues to deny the allegations but criminal proceedings are undertaken against him. The mother moves out of the family home and returns to her parents' home.
  
  
  
• With agreement that the boys father will not be allowed any contact with his son the little boy is returned to the care of his mother and his grand parents.
  
  
• This has been an enormously distressing process for all involved and will continue to be difficult for the little boy and his family. However the foster carers family all feel that they did their very best to keep him safe and help him with his loss whilst he was with them.
  
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You have chosen the following example:

A mother has arrived at the social work office with her five children. She has been evicted from her council house and is only being offered bed and breakfast accommodation. She is refusing to take her children there and is asking for them to be taken to foster carers.


• The children have to be placed with three different fostering families because of a shortage of available placements.
  
  
• One foster carer takes a boy of eight and finds him to be quiet and well behaved.
  
  
• The foster carer visits his school to explain the situation and is told that he has a very poor record of attendance. This is one factor contributing towards a severe delay in his reading and writing.
  
  
• Contact takes place twice a week with his mother and his brothers and sisters. During the contact his behaviour changes dramatically. He refuses to do anything his mother asks him and is very loud and angry with his brothers and sisters.
  
  
• Over the next few months the foster carer and her children put a lot of time into helping him catch up with his education. His class teacher tells the foster carer how pleased she is with the dramatic improvement he has made in class and in his work.
  
  
• After seven months mother manages to get suitable accommodation and the children are slowly reintroduced to her care. The foster carer feels very pleased with the help given to the child but is concerned that there might have been underlying problems that have not been solved.
  
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