Sally's story
Taking care of a new baby doesn’t always come naturally. Sally’s story shows how fostering helps young mothers to take responsibility.
Sally had been in care from the age of three following serious neglect by her birth family. Now 17, she was referred to Outlook for a parent and baby assessment just a few weeks before giving birth to her own baby.
Before becoming pregnant, Sally had found it difficult to care for herself. Her social workers were concerned that she would not be able to care for her new baby. Because of this the local authority needed a secure legal framework to protect the unborn child and were granted an Interim Care Order.
Following the birth, Sally and her new baby, Jack, were placed with an Outlook foster carer so that they could receive the support and parenting skills crucial at this early stage. At this time a Parenting Assessment was also carried out by an experienced senior social worker and this was later submitted as the core of the local authority’s court report.
As often happens in this type of placement, Sally made a good start and was given plenty of room to develop both the mother/baby relationship and her own parenting skills. As the 12-week placement progressed, Sally was given more freedom and less supervision as appropriate.
Although Sally did well for the first four weeks, her parenting skills began to slip in favour of socialising. The carer and assessing social worker helped Sally to decide what was best for Jack. He was subsequently freed for adoption.
Sally then moved into an independence programme while Jack remained with the carer who facilitated the pre-adoption medicals and introductions. Jack moved successfully into adoption.
Sally had been in care from the age of three following serious neglect by her birth family. Now 17, she was referred to Outlook for a parent and baby assessment just a few weeks before giving birth to her own baby.
Before becoming pregnant, Sally had found it difficult to care for herself. Her social workers were concerned that she would not be able to care for her new baby. Because of this the local authority needed a secure legal framework to protect the unborn child and were granted an Interim Care Order.
Following the birth, Sally and her new baby, Jack, were placed with an Outlook foster carer so that they could receive the support and parenting skills crucial at this early stage. At this time a Parenting Assessment was also carried out by an experienced senior social worker and this was later submitted as the core of the local authority’s court report.
As often happens in this type of placement, Sally made a good start and was given plenty of room to develop both the mother/baby relationship and her own parenting skills. As the 12-week placement progressed, Sally was given more freedom and less supervision as appropriate.
Although Sally did well for the first four weeks, her parenting skills began to slip in favour of socialising. The carer and assessing social worker helped Sally to decide what was best for Jack. He was subsequently freed for adoption.
Sally then moved into an independence programme while Jack remained with the carer who facilitated the pre-adoption medicals and introductions. Jack moved successfully into adoption.