Comments

Feedback on completing Form F Assessments. All printed with permission….

 

We thought Kevin was very thorough when he was assessing our personal histories, because he listened well and clarified anything he wasn’t sure about. We thought Kevin explored the attachment needs of children because he gave us weblinks to read up on this subject before he visited and then went through the subject with us. Kevin explained the likely presentations of these types of children well, using examples of children he had worked with, and we discussed children I had worked with.

We think the homework was essential because it made us think very carefully about the process we were undertaking and about ourselves, our family, and why we were doing this. It also guided us through the Form F Process so we could prepare ourselves for each visit. We feel better prepared because we discussed in detail all aspects of becoming a foster carer, and talking through things with Kevin helped us think about different children with different needs.

We thought it was a very fair assessment giving a true reflection of where we were coming from and what our goals are. We appreciated very much Kevin’s time and effort to put across our thoughts and feelings and life stories. Kevin did an excellent job. He shared everything with us on the final write up and changed anything that needed amending.

Tamsin Cantrell and Andrew Lea (newly approved foster carers)

 

I thought Kevin was very thorough in his assessment whilst being sensitive to the fact that it can be hard to explore and share your history with an unfamiliar person in the initial stages of the assessment process. He was excellent at sensitively asking and exploring my early years and recollection of childhood and adult life.

Kevin was very good at exploring and discussing with me the attachment needs of children. He ensured that attachment was discussed throughout the assessment and provided ample opportunities to reflect and ask questions where I needed.  I feel that I have a full understanding of the attachment needs of children who have experienced neglect in their past. I have learned a lot about how children may present due to their early experiences and how to manage this in a home setting when I will be the support to a looked after child.

There was a lot of homework to go through, but the links for further information Kevin provided were very useful in my development of knowledge about fostering a child in the future, and to better understand what is required of me to ensure the child can grow and positively be supported in their development. I definitely benefited from the assessment process with Kevin to feel well prepared for a future as a foster carer. I felt that the assessment document was huge, and an enormous amount of work had gone into this by Kevin to get it right.  It felt like reading ‘this is your life’ and the document reflected our discussions and my learning and responses accurately.

The assessment process was sensitively undertaken, and as we got to know each other better it became easier and I enjoyed the process.  Kevin is an excellent assessor, and was great at guiding me through the assessment process.  He made the  process of delving into my past enjoyable and I felt at ease talking to him about my life.  Kevin explored my thoughts in a non-threatening and open manner which allowed me not only to share and reflect on my past and my thoughts, but also to learn in a supportive and non-judgmental manner. His kind and open nature makes it easy to learn throughout the assessment process.  I enjoyed his visits and the whole assessment process was a positive experience for me.

Ms Goble (newly approved foster carer).

 

Kevin was very thorough and professional in his assessment of us regarding all aspects of our personal histories. He covered all required aspects of the assessment methodically and systematically. He always explained which part of the assessment was to follow, so we were always prepared beforehand.

With regard to the attachment needs of children and young people who have experienced early yeas abuse and neglect, we thought Kevin emphasised this in the assessment and provided evidential literature for us to study on this subject in order to explain the Secure Base Theory and Internal Working Models of the developing child. He explained many presentations of children that have experienced abuse and neglect and explained the impact on their psychological development regarding low self-esteem and self-worth, no sense of belonging, and lack of confidence to explore and trust other relationships. Overall we feel more aware of the challenges we will encounter and feel better prepared to deal with them as they arise, because Kevin has described the challenging behaviour that neglected and abused children may display.

The final write up was accurate and comprehensive and was a true reflection of our past and all its details. I would recommend Kevin as an Independent Assessor as he is always amenable, approachable, and non-judgemental. He carried out the assessment diligently and accurately and we’ve had fun working with him!

Martin and Lesley (newly approved foster carers).

 

We thought Kevin was extremely thorough (in his assessment of us), because he took the time to listen and go over what we had told him. We thought he prepared us for the attachment needs of children and young people who have experienced early years abuse and neglect. Kevin recommended reading material and was always happy to answer any questions we might have and Kevin was very good at explaining things to us.

Overall we found the assessment very good and very fair. I understand how difficult it must have been for Kevin, as the process for us was very long as we had to take breaks for personal reasons, and it meant that we were stopping and picking up some months later.  I was also slow in getting homework back to him, and although it must have driven him mad he was always patient with us! Kevin made our assessment as smooth as possible and we are grateful for his help, support and guidance throughout the whole process. I cannot think of anything that would improve on Kevin’s approach to the assessment.

Josephine and Andrew Summers (newly approved foster carers).

 

We thought Kevin was very thorough and accurate with his assessment, and also sensitive to our feelings, especially when we were discussing sad/painful experiences from the past. He made us fully aware of the children we may become carers for, and made sure that we were prepared for them. We are very keen and excited about the prospect of helping children in our care to have a happy and stable life, so they can grow up into confident adults.

We thought the final assessment report was very good because it was factually accurate. Kevin was very professional but in a friendly way. Many social workers have a bad reputation but he has proved that social workers are only trying to help people. We were very impressed with all aspects of his work, interpersonal skills and general manner. He has helped us fulfil our goal to foster children.

Allen and Linda Olde (newly approved foster carers).

 

We thought Kevin was very thorough in his assessment of us. Because of his questioning and thoughtful approach, both of us reflected and brought up things we hadn’t thought of for years as part of the process. The assessment was very thorough, and accurate on all of the key details because Kevin spent time, and was interested in learning about us/ our family/ friends as part of the assessment process. Kevin always turned up for meetings on time, asked good questions and listened to the answers. As it was our first assessment, we both feel we got a lot out of the process and cannot therefore recommend any obvious improvements.

Kevin very quickly made us feel comfortable with him. This enabled us to relax and have open discussions with him on challenging and thought provoking subjects, which helped him complete our comprehensive assessment and helped us learn an awful lot about the Fostering/ Looked After Children requirements. Kevin was thorough, interested in us as people, and always approachable and supportive. We both feel that he really helped us successfully complete the assessment process and made it enjoyable and educational as well.

As part of the assessment process, and through the complementary training received from our Fostering Agency, we were well informed about the attachment needs of children & young people. Kevin also had a great deal of experience as a social worker, and was also able to bring up points and examples of attachment needs which were always relevant and useful in our discussions.We thought he definitely understood the types of children we will be working with very well. Because of his experience and background Kevin was able to bring real life examples into our discussions/learning. We thought the homework was relevant and interesting to do..we now understand enough of what’s involved to ensure Fostering is the right move for us.

Mrs TD and Mr SD (newly approved foster carers).

 

We learnt it is essential to have a good understanding of self and how you may react in different and challenging situations. The resources were varied, interesting and challenging, and helped us understand ourselves and where we come from. Kevin spent a lot of time talking about attachment needs and provided us with written and internet resources to refer to. We are now able to experience them first hand and it has been very helpful in understanding our first placement. Kevin has a lot of experience of working with children and gave us lots of examples in discussions which we are now experiencing and can recognise and remember our discussions.

We feel well prepared by Kevin. He explained everything well, helped us through the panel process and portfolio, was patient, clarified and got to the bottom of things, and overall gave us a good understanding. We are 4 weeks into our first placement which is challenging but we are able to understand and cope, and we feel we are already making a difference.

The assessment was very positive and a true reflection of us. It was detailed and covered all the standards required. Because it had been done thoroughly we had no surprises at panel and were approved. Kevin was a conscientious assessor who was thorough, very helpful and approachable. We felt confident with him. He was easy to contact and always got back to us. He was realistic in timescales for homework! He didn’t over-complicate things and was efficient and very personable.

– Mrs Kurslake and Mrs Dunford (newly approved foster carers).

 

I know a number of people who felt on the spot during their assessment and have told me it can be quite uncomfortable to talk through your past with another person. However , through the entire process, I did not feel uncomfortable at all. I actually quite enjoyed the process and it was always pleasant having Kevin visit my home. I believe Kevin’s approach, persona, and professionalism really shone through, he was extremely responsive when I needed help and I never felt judged or uncomfortable when I was talking about my family history.

I feel that Kevin allowed me to talk through my own experiences and made key links to how these may be useful during my time when Fostering. He also highlighted several areas that I wasn’t very well informed about and talked through these things with me; he wasn’t afraid to highlight my weaknesses, provide constructive criticisms and work towards broadening my knowledge.

I have had a brilliant time working with him and cannot recommend him enough. Thank you for all your work and the insight that you have brought. I would recommend him without doubt for any other fostering applicant.

– Mr Liddy (newly approved foster carer).

Contact me to discuss how my assessment experience can support your agency’s prospective foster carers through the assessment process