Couple forced to restart one year foster carer application because social worker's handwriting was illegible

[Alison J Stevens]

Couple forced to restart one year foster carer application because social worker's handwriting was illegible

• Roger and Joyce Bunn left frustrated by their experience

• County council apologises for 'unforeseeable' delay

By Chris Kent

PUBLISHED: 16:50, 4 May 2012 | UPDATED: 18:39, 4 May 2012

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A couple have had their dream of becoming foster parents shattered because nobody can read their social worker’s shoddy handwriting.

Roger and Joyce Bunn went through 12 months of inspections and interviews to ensure that they met the strict criteria required to look after children.

But the couple, from Hexham in Northumberland, have now been told that they have to go through the entire process again.

 

Frustrated: Joyce and Roger Bunn's application to become foster parents was rejected because their social worker's handwriting was illegible

When the social worker assigned to their case by Northumberland County Council went on long-term sick, she passed her findings on to a colleague.

 

 

However, the notes were so badly written they were illegible and the Bunns now have to restart their efforts to become foster parents.

 

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Mrs Bunn, 54, said: 'After all the work we put in and all the hours we put in,
it’s very upsetting.

'We worked so hard to make sure we fitted the bill and all of that feels
wasted.

“I have had tears and I have got really upset but now that I have calmed down I want to highlight what has happened.

'If it has happened to us, who knows how many more it has happened to?

'We don’t want anyone else to go through what we have.'

Hexham MP Guy Opperman has taken up the case to campaign on their behalf and it could lead to a change in law concerning fostering.

The Bunns began their year long application in September 2010 after responding to the Government’s plea for more carers to come forward.

With two grown-up sons, Roger and Stuart and three grandchildren, the couple were confident they would be accepted as foster carers.

Mrs Bunn, 54, said: 'We were thinking the child could be here before Christmas but they just keep fobbing us off.

'Just thinking about how we are with the grandchildren and other children, we know we are capable of doing this.

'We weren’t doing it for the money, but for love.

'We can give somebody something they haven’t got but that all seems wasted now.

'The programme was intense and if we weren’t being visited we were doing
paperwork.

'They wanted to know everything about us, from the day we were born, to be told we have to do it all again is just so frustrating.

'But there are times when I look at it and think we could do it again because we really want to foster, but it is so time consuming and we agreed it would be too much to redo.'

 

Frustrating: Joyce and Roger Bunn are not sure whether to re-submit their application to become foster parents

 

Mr Opperman has contacted the minister in charge of children and young people, Tim Loughton, who has subsequently asked for a review of the fostering system.

'I have the greatest degree of sympathy for the efforts and disappointment of Mr and Mrs Bunn,' Mr Opperman said.

'We are determined that what has befallen them won’t happen again.

'I would certainly support, and I am actively campaigning for an improvement in this system so we can have a fostering system which is not so dysfunctional as in this particular example.'

A message on the county council's website says it is urgently seeking long-term foster parents for children aged seven or above.

At present, the council has 146 foster parents but a spokesman confirmed it is on the lookout for 25 more.

The spokesman added: 'We have apologised to Mr and Mrs Bunn for this
unforeseeable delay and we are sorry for any upset caused.

'We have since reviewed our processes and taken measures to address and avoid future delays.

'Should Mr and Mrs Bunn wish to submit another application we would welcome it and we have assured them that we will deal with their application expeditiously.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2139579/Couple-forced-resta...