Introductions – the How

The next step we need to take is to be introduced to our children, firstly in the form of the family book we have prepared and we handed over at our matching panel. It was completed before panel and then handed over to the foster carers last Monday.

This is a book full of photographs - of us, the cats, the house, our closest family and can be used to get the children used to people and places before they are presented with the actual people and places. We decided to be a bit different and write the book from our cats so they introduce us and the rest of the family and go into how they want to share their garden with the children. The last we heard the children like our book and the oldest can already identify which is his bedroom and which belongs to his sister.

The next step after this will be to actually meet them as real little people and to get to know them, their routines and everything else we might need in order to care for them. This takes places over a period of time, 7 days according to the plan we have (but subject to flexibility) and starts off in the foster placement but works up to visits to our home as well as activities and trips out. Once this is done and everyone is happy we will get a confirmed placement date on that date they move in with us for real.

It is going to be hectic - we need to be there for when the children wake at 6.30am for at least 3 or 4 of the 6 days and we have a 50 minute drive to get there but I am sure it will be worth every single second. This weekend is our last 'free one' so to speak but my jobs list is pages long and getting longer.

My countdown? Now at 3 days at work (including what is left of today) and 5 more sleeps until we meet them.