www.iva.co.uk

Hi my name Is Joshua and I'm soon to be 22, I have worked in healthcare for the majority of my working life (all be it not that very long compared to some)! I have wanted to foster for as long as I can rememver and as that may sound strange to some it's true! I've been in touch with various agencies to try and build the best knowledge I can before making that first step and sending my forms off! However, I'm in a debt management plan (not a lot) but enough! Would this ever effect my ability to fostering? I appreciate all feedback many thanks

Hi and welcome to the forum. What a wonderful thing to want to do. When fostering do they check your financial background? I've no idea about this but will keep it bumped up for someone else to comment on.

I do not see why it should impact and we have done IVAs for foster carers without any problems at all.

Ring your local council on a 'no names' basis and ask them to be sure.

Joshua - They do ask about financial security. I would never discourage people from fostering, and speaking from personal experience, but you do need to be secure in your own personal life and achieved what you what to. Fostering is hard work but rewarding work and you can at times seem that your at the beck and call of social services. Can i perhaps suggest you look a some courses on child care etc - in order to give you experience (you will need it with some of the foster children)

I agree with Micheal, i have certaintly dealt with clients who entered into IVAs and DMPS and then successfully been approved as foster carers

Some regions take a dim view of debt arrangements and insolvency as its may question whether someone wants to foster simply for money!!

Certainly be up front about your finances from the off.

Paul

Some regions take a dim view of debt arrangements and insolvency as its may question whether someone wants to foster simply for money!!

Certainly be up front about your finances from the off.

Paul

Joshua, I have a friend who works in Social Care & deals with fostering and at-risk children (she was approved as a foster carer herself some time back). I shall ask if she is aware whether or not this could cause problems for you - hopefully she will have some information for you, although it will be pertinent to her region (Bristol), and I don't know if that varies from place to place.

I think this all comes down to supply and demand to be honest - a horrid descriptor to use but I am sure you all know where I am coming from. If an authority has a waiting list of potential foster carers, they are more likely to be thorough about financial background checks, and may not be happy to take on carers who have debt problems.

As you are only 22 Joshua, it might be an idea to work hard to get those debts repaid first, and then look to opening up your home and life to a much needed child.

Hi Joshua, I heard back from my friend, she said:

font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:<hr height="1" noshade>
Can't think of any reason why it would. They run credit checks to make sure you wouldn't be doing the fostering as any sort of financial gain (the money you "earn" from fostering is supposed to be mostly spent on the child) but it shouldn't affect things no. Best to be up front with whoever he's going to be fostering with. Does he have any other income (how is he paying the iva at the mo) because they would want to see evidence he can support himself when he doesn't have foster children actually with him at that time (you get a low amount of money when you aren't fostering, but only get paid when you have children in your care at that time)
It shouldn't affect things at all is the short answer.

If he's that worried, he could ring someone he's not planning to foster with and get advise

As in ring another agency for a chat (say he's just thinking about it, so was wondering about the iva)

Tell him to google "will an iva prevent me fostering" there's lots of proof it doesn't

Hope this helps put your mind at rest