Alice – Fostering Blog
Monday
We bumped into some old friends a few weeks back, they were just about to be approved to become foster carers. They got in touch this morning to tell us that they had been unanimously approved and had been awaiting their first placement. I had a strange sense of dejavu. Almost like a flashback to six years ago when Charlie and I were first approved. I can remember that feeling of being really excited and yet incredibly nervous at the same time – Lauren calls this being “nervousited!!” I can remember keeping my phone to hand at all times of the day – just in case we got that call.
It was incredibly frustrating as the days and then weeks went on before we had that first call. As the call came, my adrenalin levels rose and I became a little anxious about the placement. Then only a few hours later, the agency called to say there had been a change of plan and that the child had been placed elsewhere. I felt both disappointment and relief! Were we ready?? In the following few days we had a couple more calls like this. But then only a week or so later, we got another call and this time it did lead to our first placement – a little one year old boy. Panic set in and we rallied round to get all the necessary equipment in place. And that was the start of our fostering journey.
Our friends had just had “the call”. They were ringing for a bit of advice. I told them not to tell their birth children until the placement was confirmed. I remember the highs and lows we felt, but for Lauren and Annie who were only 6 and 8 years old at the time – it was much more difficult. They didn’t need those disappointments! I also told them to only get the basics – the essential things.
Once the child is placed, they can get everything else they need. I could hear in my friends voice, a little panic. I reassured her that it was going to be fine. After all, they have just gone through the most rigorous of tests to get this far and they would not have been unanimously approved if there was any doubt! In the meantime, I reminded her that I would be at the end of the phone, and only across the city should she need to call on me in the coming days and weeks.
A Less Ordinary Fostering Family Blog.
