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Points to Note
- If you are interested in fostering or adopting younger children there might be a delay before your application is taken up. This is because most of the children who need families are school age and we have to give priority to finding families for them
- Children over the age of 12 who are unrelated should ideally have a bedroom of their own
- All children under 5 years, or a child of any age with a known respiratory condition, should have a smoke-free environment. Carers must not smoke in front of foster children, and ensure anyone caring for their foster child (such as family members/babysitters) also abides by this rule. Children and young people should not be allowed to smoke within the foster home, and should be actively discouraged from smoking by their carer(s). Carers have a responsibility to encourage young people to seek help in stopping smoking. All carers will receive training and information regarding the harmful effects of passive smoking for children. This applies to fostering and adoption.
- If you apply to foster or adopt you will be asked to give your consent to several kinds of legally required checks being carried out about you, as will adult children, or any other adult living in your home. Information provided by these checks is confidential, but will be discussed with you if necessary/appropriate:
- You will be asked to consent to medical information being obtained from your GP, and you will be required to have a full medical examination, either before or after your application has been taken up, depending on your individual circumstances (Our Agency Medical Adviser deals with all medical information, and decisions about medical issues, which might affect progress of an application)
- You will be asked to consent to a Disclosure Scotland check being made. Having a criminal record doesn't necessarily mean you won't be able to foster or adopt, but some kinds of offences may prevent us from taking up an application. Again, any issues would be discussed fully, in confidence, with individual applicants
- You will be asked to sign a declaration about whether you keep firearms. If you do, you will be asked to provide the serial number for your firearms certificate
- You will be asked to sign a general consent form to allow all other necessary checks such as with public and private landlords, other child-care agencies, schools, nurseries, etc.
- If you have been previously married or in a long-term relationship, we may wish to contact your ex-partner
- We may wish to contact your current employer, and also previous employers, particularly if this involved working with children
- You will be asked to provide the names and addresses of up to 3 personal referees (not family members) who know you well enough to talk honestly about you in terms of your wish to foster or adopt.
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