Is it time for you to switch fostering agencies?
Have you been at your current fostering agency for a while, but feel like something is missing? Maybe you’re not receiving the support you deserve, or training sessions seem few and far between. Perhaps you’re even starting to doubt your decision to become a foster parent because your current provider isn’t giving you the confidence you need.
If this sounds like you, it might be time for you to switch to another fostering provider. One that is always by your side and gives you the knowledge and skills to feel confident in your role, so you can truly make a difference. This is how we operate at ACS, and transferring to us is probably a lot easier than you think.
Why transfer to ACS
At ACS, we’re a diverse community with foster parents from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and faiths. Here are some of the reasons they continue to choose us:
We’re ‘Outstanding’
We’re rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, which highlights our commitment to the children in our care and the foster parents who are taking steps to improve their lives every single day.
Expert Matching
We specialise in faith-based and cultural matching, making sure children and young people live with foster parents who understand their needs.
Our Community
We help you connect with other foster parents in your local area and have strong links with local mosques, churches, and key community support groups.
Multilingual Team
English not your first language? Our multilingual team speak several languages, preventing crucial information from being lost in translation.
Close-knit team
We’re a family, building connections between staff, foster parents, and young people by getting to know you all on a personal level and organising activities, meet-ups, and events for the whole family.
Support
Because we are a small team and get to know our foster parents, we can provide tailored support to meet your individual needs, and it’s available to you 24/7.
Training
We offer extensive training that helps you feel confident in your role, including mandatory, additional, and cultural training, so you know how to care for your foster child’s entire well-being.
Fostering allowances
When you foster with us, you’re financially rewarded for your hard work and dedication. Our fostering allowances are far above those recommended by the Fostering Network, and what’s more, they’re typically tax-free.
Ruth’s Fostering Journey
“ACS provides a support worker who helps me take the children out and offers guidance when needed. It’s a small community, and sometimes you just need to feel that sense of belonging. It’s very personal, and it’s reassuring to know the support is there.”
Ruth, ACS foster parent
Is changing fostering agencies complicated?
Switching fostering agencies is probably a lot easier than you first thought. In fact, it’s almost the same process as applying to become a foster parent for the very first time.
There are seven simple steps:
- Step 1: Enquiry
- Step 2: Home Visit
- Step 3: Application
- Step 4: Form F Assessment
- Step 5: Panel
- Step 6: Agency Decision Maker
- Step 7: Transfer
At ACS, everything is streamlined the second time around because you have experience, and lots of the information we require for your assessment is already available to us. We also fast-track your application so you can be fostering with us in around three months.
The transferring process
Let’s take a closer look at the transferring process in more detail, so you know exactly what to expect if you choose to switch to ACS.
Initial Enquiry
If you’re thinking about transferring to ACS, call us on 0800 9177 937 or submit your details using our online form, and a member of our experienced team will call you. They’ll tell you a little more about ACS, ask you a few questions, and if you want to move forward, they’ll schedule a home visit.
Home visit
A member of our team will complete a virtual home visit or see you at home if preferred to discuss fostering with ACS in more detail. It’s always a good idea to write down any burning questions in advance, so we can answer them and help you make an informed decision about whether transferring to ACS is right for you and your family.
Application
After your initial enquiry and home visit, if you’re happy with everything and want to proceed, then you’ll complete our application form. At this point, you’ll need to inform your current fostering provider, whether that’s the local authority or another independent fostering agency, that you intend to transfer. You won’t resign until later in the process.
Form F Assessment
Once your application is accepted, we’ll begin your Form F Assessment. Your assessing social worker will visit you at home several times to capture the knowledge, skills, and experience you’ve developed so far on your fostering journey.
Panel and Agency Decision
As you did when you became a foster parent with your current provider, once your Form F assessment is complete and your social worker believes you’re ready, you’ll attend a fostering panel meeting. Your meeting might be face-to-face, but these days they often happen online via video call.
Around five to seven people with experience in fostering will sit on the panel. They’ll review your Form F document, get to know you a little better, and sometimes ask questions to clarify details in the report if they’re unsure about anything. They’ll then make their recommendation to the Agency Decision Maker, who’ll confirm your approval.
Transfer
Once you’re officially approved to foster with us at ACS, you’ll resign from your current provider and will automatically be transferred to us within 28 days. You can then start benefiting from our incredible fostering allowances, support, training and more.
Shagufta’s Fostering Journey
“ACS is always there to support you and give you good advice. I have a fantastic network of support from family, friends and other foster parents. When you’ve got that strong support network, there’s nothing to worry about because you’ll always be looked after.”
Shagufta, foster mum at ACS since 2014.
Can I transfer if I already foster a child with another agency?
Yes, having a child in your care doesn’t necessarily prevent you from transferring to another fostering agency.
There are just a few additional steps that we’ll take before you transfer to us. This is to ensure that transferring fostering agencies is in the child’s best interests and that when they are in our care, we can continue to meet their needs.
The process of transferring with a foster child
When you transfer to ACS with a child already in your care, you’ll follow the same steps as above, but will also need to complete the following steps:
Notify the local placing authority
When you submit your application to foster with us and inform your current fostering provider of your intent to transfer, you must also let your child’s local placing authority know, too.
Attend the transfer protocol meeting
Your child’s local placing authority will organise a transfer protocol meeting within 28 days of receiving your letter of intent to transfer. ACS, your current provider, the child’s local placing authority, and you will all attend the meeting. Your foster child’s current care plan, ACS’s ability to provide specific support that will meet their needs, and how transferring could impact the child will all be discussed during this meeting.
Transferring from a local authority to an independent fostering agency
You might decide to transfer from the local authority to ACS because we have more resources than they do to provide you with a higher level of support, bigger fostering allowances, and more extensive training. Local authority social workers also tend to have larger caseloads than our social workers, which means we have more time and can be there for you whenever you need us.
The good news is that transferring from your local authority to an independent fostering agency works in the same way as transferring from one IFA to another IFA.
Think you’d make a great foster parent?
Whether you’re ready to start your journey or just want to chat to an expert, we’re here to talk.
Enquiry
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