Day

Resize it.

Through the local authority

We asked the social worker who said once every 2 weeks for 2 hours, if it went to court once a month would be the likely order. It's finding that balance in our own lives and what's best for the boys, they are young and adore her, they won't understand the reasons and for confidentiality not allowed to disclose, especially on a public forum. Me and Leanne don't want to be seen as the bad guys for preventing access to their mum where when they get older they resent us for.

We attended a course last week, skills to fostering, had to be done as part of the process. A question was asked, "has anyone seen a change of care worker in their case", was a 50/50 split in the room and the guy running the meeting said it comes as no surprise as there is a high turnover in staff. Found that kinda worrying as surely to judge and assess others, you must have to go through significant training yourselves? If there is a high turnover, would it be fair to assume that some are being fast tracked in?

We are the boys great aunt and uncle, I don't think we have done anything that anyone else in our position would have done. Mainstream foster parents though, with no previous connection to the child they take on, knowing the process, they are the inspirational ones.

Leanne's working full time, I only do 16 hours, as you say it would be impossible to do more. I have no complaints over money, it's far more than we ever expected, with a weekly payment each, plus an extra week at Christmas, on their birthdays and 2 weeks holiday allowance. Although if it goes to SGO it's means tested so we won't have a clue what until they decide.

I mentioned a few weeks ago in another topic that we are currently looking after 2 young boys (2 and 3), they moved in with us back in October and currently under assessment for temporary kinship foster parent status. It's tough. Knowing we have at least 2 foster parents on here, just wanted to unload really. We stepped in, trying to help out in short notice, I think it was 3 weeks from hearing they need our help to moving in and they have been fantastic. Settled in so well, this side has been an amazing experience. The other side, not so. Meetings in person, remotely, check ups, health visitors, assessments, training courses then on top of that being available for contact with their mum and her mum (their gran) wanting her slice of our time Where is the time left to, you know, do fun things with the boys like they should be doing? With both of me and Leanne working, just not finding the hours in the day. We're about to go through Family Conference which is an agreement for scheduled contact visits. The boys mum is wanting twice a week! It's honestly overwhelming and I can understand why there is a shortage of foster parents available in our local area at least. Even the paperwork with weekly diary, accident forms, medication forms. Yesterday I was emailed another batch of assessment meetings. With those they want to dig into my finances, family tree, personality, education, leisure activities, even interview our ex partners and send us for a medicals. Pretty much every Tuesday into the new year for 2 months will be taken up by this one particular department. As I say, then you have social services, health services, an independent reviewer all wanting to take any other free hours you get until we get to the final boss which is the fostering panel that has to approve us. Doesn't stop then either as this is only temporary whilst social services consider court orders and possible SGO orders. Don't get me wrong, I get they have to be careful, most kids entering the fostering system have not found themselves there without going through tough times. They need to check that they are placed in a suitable home. Just feels like the whole process could be streamlined with less people ticking the same boxes. Take DBS checks for example, we had to have them before placement through social services, now Fostering team want to do them again, surely they are there on file that can be shared? Not much point to this post really than to say life is hard right now, currently writing this whilst in a Microsoft Teams waiting room for this weeks remote meeting. I respect you all that have been through this process.

You can upload pictures directly from your device as Mucker has said, there is no need to use any 3rd party websites to upload to first.

Gone down in my estimation! Was asked to see how many of the 72 EFL clubs he could name in 72 seconds. Didn't get Derby County! https://www.threads.net/@efl/post/C1AMq-hIPlq/?igshid=MjM0N2Q2NDBjYg==

Harry Potter Lord of the Rings Star Wars All the Marvel crap

On the club website it said they emailed everyone affected by the rails? The video wasn't that long to be fair, not like it was an hour long to make time for. I'm not sure why all this couldn't wait until the summer, have all the rails in place and communicate better how it works when renewing/purchasing what can now be sold as a standing season ticket. All summer drill it home how the checks would be performed etc. Either way, not disagreeing on the excessive checks, wouldn't be surprised if it's beyond the clubs control and ticking boxes for health and safety. Possibly why it wasn't up for discussion with the SCG maybe?

Either Nuts or Foreveram. Don't blame them for not wanting to be seen in that shirt.

Penny for his thoughts now. Couldn't get into the Man Utd team, went on loan to West Ham, found some form and love. Given the chance to join permanently and chose Forest who barely played him and now been without a club since the summer. Retirement must be on the cards now.

They did put a video out, guessing either a) The club didn't do enough to ensure the video was seen. or b) Fans didn't realise just how excessive the checks would be. https://www.dcfc.co.uk/blog/iframe/stream-video/31094

Would explain why everyone buggers off before Full Time.

Just catching up from yesterday in the match thread and here. Quite clear we are still some way from acceptance of women in the men's game. Be it studio or on the pitch with a flag or whistle. Had it been a male ref yesterday, wouldn't be nearly as many posts commenting on the performance. Females should be able to be criticised in the same way males are, however until the sexist undertones are eradicated, it's hard to be critical without being thrown into the sexist box that has the old school mentality that men's game should be just men. It will be another decade or two before we see any progress with general acceptance.

Exactly. I'm yet to hear a manager in December say that they will have a fantastic January transfer window, everyone get hyped. The less he says, the less he can be pulled up on if things don't materialise as he hoped, then used as a stick to beat him with.

Not really if I'm honest with you, this forum without the members is an empty shell of code, it's the members that make the forum a community. It's really on you all to shape the community with how you communicate with each other. We can set guidelines, moderate content, even disable polls to avoid the in out after every result, however unless we go all North Korea it really is on you all. The forum has topic summaries now below the first post, maybe check that and try to voice your opinion without being in the top 4 posters for a prolonged period? I haven't been on nowhere near as much myself, life offline is pretty hectic, then the spare time I get, do I want to spend that filling my head with the constant streams of negativity over matters that seem so minor compared to last year. Thought we would have had more of grace period of just being happy to have a club to support, wasn't expecting the bile to be spewed so quickly but here we are, and that's the frontline where the fight is being fought.

They take football VERY seriously over there, after a defeat players can be left sleeping in the stadium, locked up in training ground just to avoid being murdered. Win the next game and they love you again. Mental.

I would agree that at the heart of it, this is not about Musk personally, just the way he's destroyed Twitter to the point it's barely usable. It's just the surrounding stories become entertaining through frustration of his decisions. I hold on to the hope he wakes up one morning and sells it on whilst their is a few valuable crumbs left to sell.

For anyone unaware, Grok is Elon Musk's AI alternative to ChatGPT

I agree with Garth, just feel like it's one of those things that didn't need saying. Seems a bit harsh like. 😂

He didn't, I don't want to be disrespectful and put it all down to luck, there was some judgement, just think that for every 10 players you sign with no background checks and in depth scouting, 8 out of 10 will be duds and wasted money. If Warne has no established connections outside of the UK, it's definitely risky business.

Buying from abroad is risky business if you don't have the scouting setup out there and connections that can give you the inside track on their life off the pitch. Not sure the days of Jim Smith watching a VHS and saying sign him up is the way to go.