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Adults to get foster care

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    Adults to get foster care

    BBC News - Foster children may stay with carers until age 21

    This annoyed me whilst watching BBC Breakfast this morning. They featured a girl who had been fostered at 16, and was approaching her 18th birthday and feared she "wouldn't be allowed" to stay with her foster parents. Which sounded odd, as surely an 18 year old can live with whomever they want.

    But what it of course means is the council (i.e. you and I) continue to pay for 18-21 year olds to stay with their foster parents, even though as adults they're presumably entitled to benefits - or can even get a job. This girl is hoping to get into university, but why is her case different to all the non-fostered kids who rely on Mum and Dad providing a place to stay until they can afford otherwise?

    Is this a crazy policy, or is it just me?
    Will work inside IR35. Or for food.

    #2
    Originally posted by VectraMan View Post
    BBC News - Foster children may stay with carers until age 21

    This annoyed me whilst watching BBC Breakfast this morning. They featured a girl who had been fostered at 16, and was approaching her 18th birthday and feared she "wouldn't be allowed" to stay with her foster parents. Which sounded odd, as surely an 18 year old can live with whomever they want.

    But what it of course means is the council (i.e. you and I) continue to pay for 18-21 year olds to stay with their foster parents, even though as adults they're presumably entitled to benefits - or can even get a job. This girl is hoping to get into university, but why is her case different to all the non-fostered kids who rely on Mum and Dad providing a place to stay until they can afford otherwise?

    Is this a crazy policy, or is it just me?
    It's just you.

    Comment


      #3
      yes why should fostered kids/parents be treated any differently than non fostered once the child reaches 18 and is thus an adult!

      so no i do not think it is just you!

      Comment


        #4
        I think the financial support actually goes to the foster parents.

        So this benefit gives them an equal footing to the non-fostered kids who rely on Mum and Dad providing a place to stay until they can afford otherwise

        Why shouldn't they have this chance ?

        I know a few foster parents, and it isn't easy emotionally or financially, so if they are willing to keep helping the "child" they foster for 3 more years why should they not be recompensed ?

        Im sure where they can afford to do so they would anyway - you don't foster for the money, but many have more than 1 foster child at a time so I think the financial help should be given.
        If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck,it must be a duck

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by VectraMan View Post
          But why is her case different to all the non-fostered kids who rely on Mum and Dad providing a place to stay until they can afford otherwise?
          Because she hasn't got a "Mum and Dad", she has foster parents
          If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck,it must be a duck

          Comment


            #6
            If it means that some kid whose had a hard start in life get the stability to finish their studies/step out in to the world - what's the problem?


            £13M a year. JFDI.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Bellona View Post
              I think the financial support actually goes to the foster parents.

              So this benefit gives them an equal footing to the non-fostered kids who rely on Mum and Dad providing a place to stay until they can afford otherwise
              It doesn't give than an equal footing, it gives them an unequal footing! Real parents don't get state aid for letting an adult son or daughter live with them.
              Will work inside IR35. Or for food.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Pondlife View Post
                If it means that some kid whose had a hard start in life get the stability to finish their studies/step out in to the world - what's the problem?


                £13M a year. JFDI.
                I agree. Tiny amount of money with potentially a huge positive outcome, probably saving money overall.
                Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by VectraMan View Post
                  It doesn't give than an equal footing, it gives them an unequal footing! Real parents don't get state aid for letting an adult son or daughter live with them.
                  But they haven't got any parents, so if the foster parents weren't getting help then they would have no-one.

                  Maybe i'm not making my point very well.

                  In any event, my personal opinion is I just think they have had enough of a rough ride already, if some extra help can be given, (especially since the government, seem to give billions to help other country's children/disadvantaged), it's a small contribution to continue to help our own who got a crap start .

                  After all, as taxpayers, through the government, pay for benefits for people who choose not to work, these kids didn't choose (in the majority of cases)to be fostered.
                  If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck,it must be a duck

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Pondlife View Post
                    If it means that some kid whose had a hard start in life get the stability to finish their studies/step out in to the world - what's the problem?
                    Well for one thing it's another nail in the public finances. If you watch BBC Breakfast almost every day they have someone on moaning about how the state should provide them with X. And they all seem deserving in one way or another and don't cost much in isolation.

                    And secondly, it's the inequality of it. I'm not attacking the foster care system, which I'm sure is a great thing, but why shouldn't everybody else who had a hard start in life get the stability to finish their studies/step out in to the world? Not everybody's real parents are rich, or even fit to be parents. Yet these people don't get extra state help because their kid wants to live with them whilst going to university.
                    Will work inside IR35. Or for food.

                    Comment

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