DBS Delayed. Bloody Police!

Grrrr! My fostering plans have been postponed because the police still haven't started to process my DBS application and the fostering panel won't see anyone who has not been through that check.

The good news is that my lodger has said 'yes' to a flat in the centre of the city- close to the place I rented before I moved here. The bad news (sort of) is that the place is to be renovated before he will move into it and he doesn't know when that will be- "in the new year". As I now won't face the fostering panel until a couple of days after my birthday in January, at least I will be getting some rental income for a while which will be very handy. After the song and dance to get started as an 'Approved Landlord' I admit I expected something to happen to put me off my more than six month process to become a foster carer. LOL and social services wonder why people are put off from fostering. I suspect that the administration is more onerous than looking after most of the kids! -Having said that; I absolutely understand the need for stringent checks and processes, but having listened to the stories the lads who've lodged with me have shared, much of what is done does not directly benefit the kids themselves OR- it is easy to follow the rules and not make the child the priority!

I do wonder why the police have taken so long (twelve weeks) to process the DBS. I suppose they will use the pandemic as an explanation. I've held several DBS certificates, none of them have taken this long when I ASSUME there were more people seeking them.

There was a problem with my medical check as well LOL: I had the examination and then there was some issue about the doctor's surgery not releasing the resulting report until they were paid. They issued an invoice which the council ignored because it wasn't linked to anything to which the accountant could link it. It was a classic example of two incompatible admin systems dysfunctioning together. It was ultimately resolve when the surgery accepted that the council was probably 'good' for £58.

I wonder how my Albanian lodger who did a runner is getting on. I wonder where he is. I do hope he is alright.

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