25th June, 2021
Are you thinking of becoming a foster carer, but have no clue where to start? This series of blogs written by DT, a newly approved foster carer, offers a first-hand account about the process, from making that initial decision, right through to getting approved. Read DT’s previous blog here.
I hit send to the Capstone’s Facebook Ad to start my fostering journey and within 5 minutes I received a reply.
I was asked a series of very straightforward questions:
I then typed my longest reply ever. I was excited to say why I wanted to become a foster carer and share some lovely photos of my home and the animals that lived with me. But I also had to deal head on with my less than textbook past, explain the circumstances which lead me to having a criminal record and explain how I have overcome my difficulties and turned my life around. I thought “that’s that then; the reply will be a no”. But instead of hearing “no”, the call I received in response was warm and positive, saying that my experiences could help a child. I cried as this mattered so much to me. We chatted further and I was told I would get a follow-up call.
I got a call a few days later and the Virtual Home Visit was booked for the 8th September 2020 with Leona from the South West. Along with meeting request, I also received a very detailed 20-page pdf about Capstone which was excellent, as I had so many questions flying around my head. It included a job description, the requirements for fostering, the approval process, what checks would be carried out, pre-approval training and more about Capstone Foster Care.
I thought, wow so many stages and about the fact that it would take 3-4 months. I wondered how I was going to get through it all. I knew that my desire to be a foster carer alone wasn’t enough. I had to be the right person, as there was a child that really needed someone they could rely on. I was curious about how I would feel about having a social worker carrying out an assessment and then going to panel.
The day before the virtual video visit, I was really nervous, and so I put all my nervous energy into cleaning my house from top to bottom. Looking back, I can laugh now as clearly Leona wasn’t going to see how spotless the skirting boards were! But I wanted everything to be just right.
The virtual visit was amazing. Leona was really friendly and asked me my motivation for fostering whilst we did a tour of the house inside and outside. I was so uncharacteristically open with a stranger about the trickier parts of my life, but it was like talking to an old friend. Leona put me at ease right from the start of the call. When I put the phone down, I felt so relieved and silly to have worried so much, as all Capstone wanted was to see the suitability of my house, have a chat and to get to know me a bit better.
It was left that I would get a call within a couple of weeks to let me know if I could proceed on to the next stage, which would be completing an application form. Leona left me a voicemail in the evening on 29th September 2020 saying, “great news all systems go”. I couldn’t wait to tell the family the amazing news!
You can find DT's next blog about the formal application process to becoming a foster carer here.
If DT's story is inspiring you to enquire about becoming a foster carer, don't hesitate to get in touch!
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