Sorry it took aaaages to get back in here. You know how it is... working, sleeping, playing, working, cleaning.... BB time!!
I'm afraid my experience with child protection didn't provide much knowledge about foster care arrangements as a different dept. handled that stuff. I just picked the kids up from care, took them to visit their parents and then took back to care etc. Had some great chats with some amazing carers but hardly an expert I'm afraid.
As far as long vs. short-term care... I think there are pros and cons on both sides. As you said, short term may mean frequent disruptions / changes for Jazz, but it will also teach her to be adaptive and accommodating. To know that people can come and go and that her parents are still there, the relationship is consistent... Dunno, I guess I'm saying that I believe kids can adjust pretty quickly to new faces, changes to routine etc as long as the most important things are stable. On the flip side, while I agree that long-term care may provide more consistency, I guess like Kate said, chances are the child will still leave eventually. Won't it be harder in some ways if Jazz has had time to develop a stronger bond with the child and come to expect them to be there as part of her normal life? When they leave it will be a bigger 'loss' for her.
I'm not sure really. Just putting my thoughts out there.
All the best finding out all you need to know and on finding the right path for you, Shell and Jazz.
DH and I are foster carers with docs and from what we've experienced they prefer placing a child younger than your oldest. We have Tyson with us til he turns 18 (final court orders) and just found out that Kiara will be with us til she turns 18, final court orders. In the process of adopting Tyson who's been with us since he was 3 weeks old. We did respite care and found it challenging as both times the boys were older than Tyson and younger than Ard, causing a bit of conflict.. I'm so glad we have a girl to even things out. We are taking time out from respite care for a couple of years til kids get older, than may go back too it as its alot for Arden and Tyson to handle. However the good thing about respite care is you know when its going to finish, usually, gets complicated sometimes..I've found the carers support groups handy!
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