I want to foster my partner's nephew so he doesn't have to go into care?!?!?

Question

Hi me and my partner are both 19 and have got a 1 year old son, recently my partner's 5 year old son has been seperated from his mother and at the moment social services have put him with his grandma but unfortunately with her being 50 she just can not cope with him and she is going to get him put into care. I don't want to let him go and live with complete strangers and he doesn't want to go either!! So i was wondering if anyone had any information what-so-ever on whether we would be aloud to foster him because of our age and also if we would get any help with costs??

At the moment we are renting a 2 bedroom flat in the UK but if we fostered him we would move into a 3 bedroom property, My partner works full-time and i am a stay at home mum.

Answer 1

Contact social services & express your interest in caring for him

YOu wont be officially fostering him.... as in.. u wont get paid for it!  But you will be entitled to all the child support money, family tax etc.

So long as they are happy that you can provide a suitable home for the child..... long term (or until he goes home) you wont find too much resistance as social services dont want children in care if they can help it.

meanwhile...help grandma out as much as you can & be seen as a possible carer.

Answer 2

FIRST OF ALL WHY CAN'T HIS FATHER GET CUSTODY OF HIM? SECOND I AM 57 AND I'M RAISING MY 8 YR OLD GRANDSON,GRANTED ITS TOUGH SOMETIMES, BUT I WOULDN'T EVER EVEN THINK OF PUTTING HIM IN THE CARE OF SOMEONE ELSE THATS MY GRANDSON,BUT I THINK IF FOR ANY REASON HIS GRANDMOM CAN'T HANDLE THE PREASURE,YES YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET CUSTODY OF HIM. ITS A NO BRAINER,THAT HIS DAD SHOULD HAVE HIM,THERES ENOUGH c**p GOING ON THIS WORLD TODAY TO MESS W/ADULTS MINDS A 5 YR OLD SURE DOESN'T NEED TO HAVE TO COPE WITH THAT.

  SO GO FORIT AND GOODLUCK!!!!!!!

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS W/ SO.SVCS. IN THE UK VS. THE U.S. BUT I HOPE THEY'RE SMART ENOUGH TO SEE THAT HIS DAD WANTS TO RAISE HIS SON AND SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A GOOD HEAD ON YOUR SHOULDERS BECAUSE A CHILD NEEDS TOBE W/HIS FAMILY

Answer 3

You need to speak with the social work department about this. They will be interested in this as placing them with family is a better option (and a lot cheaper), you may be eligible for a fostering payment or link carers, again the Social services will tell you the details. A social worker will meet with you to assess the situation, but in general this is a reasonable idea.

Answer 4

hold on...is he your partners son or nephew...youi say he is both...

Answer 5

Contact Social Services and ask if you and your partner car be asessed. A social worker would come to your house and speak to you about your life, your past, your family etc ...

This is the first step you need to take. Are you sure you can both handle taking on your nephew? I know you want to do what you think is right for the child but you need to consider so many things like how it can affect your child, can you afford it, will it cause a strain on your relationship. Do you have a big enough property.

I am not trying to put a dampner on any of it for you, I am just speaking from experience.

I really wish you luck, your nephew is lucky to have such a caring family!