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Grandparenting

Has Anyone Else Ever Fostering-Grandparen ted?

(12 Posts)
Sadgrandma Wed 13-Aug-25 09:32:08

Jasmine23
A lovely thing to do Jasmine. Contacted your local Council’s Social Services Dept and ask about Short Breaks fostering. This is designed to give long term fosters a break and could just be a weekend or a week or more, you can choose your own commitment. There is no upper age limit provided you are fit and well.
Good luck. Children would be lucky to have you.

Allira Tue 12-Aug-25 21:51:19

They may not be onerous but they are necessary.

valdavi Tue 12-Aug-25 21:41:41

DBS checks aren't that onerous though. I'm sure the answer is Yes, they're needed.

Allira Tue 12-Aug-25 19:47:19

By the second night, we were making pancakes for dinner (don’t tell my daughter!)

Is this little boy your DD's foster child?
If so, lovely that he is experiencing extended family too while he is with her.

Did you have to have DBS checks too because anyone thinking of grandparent fostering would need advanced DBS checks.

valdavi Tue 12-Aug-25 19:09:36

That is an idea. I need to ask DH if he's be happy with me doing that, then I could look into it.

Babs03 Tue 12-Aug-25 19:07:57

What a lovely thing to do. Am sure the little boy will have fond memories of his time with you.

watermeadow Tue 12-Aug-25 19:02:28

I used to do respite care for special needs children, to give their parents a break. My own children were teenagers and I worked part-time. I finished shortly before I became a granny because I moved countries and had to work full-time.
I often wished I could have carried on. Grandparents with time on their hands are well placed to help these children and their parents.

valdavi Tue 12-Aug-25 18:51:11

Is there a way you can be a foster-grandparent? I mean that the child is fostered by foster-parents, who get the money & take responsibility, but the child can come to you for visits & days out & small birthday presents & all the other things most children get from their grandparents?
I would be interested in that.

Jaxjacky Tue 12-Aug-25 18:29:17

Who was the little boy?

Aveline Tue 12-Aug-25 18:22:36

That sounds lovely. The little boy struck lucky with you.

Smileless2012 Tue 12-Aug-25 18:05:35

What a lovely and rewarding experience Jasmine.

Jasmine23 Tue 12-Aug-25 12:30:57

The other week, we had a little boy stay with us for a few days. He arrived with the biggest eyes I’ve ever seen — full of curiosity and a touch of worry.

By the second night, we were making pancakes for dinner (don’t tell my daughter!) and laughing over the silliest knock-knock jokes. It felt like we’d known him forever, even though we knew our time together was short.

I didn’t realise until then how natural it can feel to welcome a child into your home, even for a brief stay. It’s a different kind of grandparenting — not bound by blood, but by kindness and the wish to give a child a safe, happy space.

I’ve since been reading more about fostering and it’s made me wonder…

Has anyone else here fostered, even just short-term, as a grandparent? What was your experience like?