Our Foster Agency

Background

Family Fostercare was established in 2008 in Worcestershire by Martin Rae, a Director and qualified senior social worker with extensive experience in the Looked-After Children sector.

Since then, we have expanded our operations, launching regional offices in many parts of England, and we have a growing presence nationwide.

Despite our growth, we stay true to the aims that Martin had at the outset of the company—to be a first-class foster agency with a family feel.

A Commitment to Excellence in Foster Care

At Family Fostercare, our journey began with a simple yet powerful vision: to create a foster agency with a true family feel, where children and carers alike can find support, understanding, and a sense of belonging. Over the years, we have grown and expanded, but our commitment to this vision remains unwavering. Our focus on providing high-quality, personalised care continues to guide everything we do, ensuring that every child in our care is given the best possible chance to thrive.

What We Do

Family Fostercare’s main business is to provide local authorities with a range of fostering households that can meet individual children’s needs in their own community.

We do this by recruiting, approving, training, and supporting foster carers.

Family Fostercare foster carers offer placements that are:

• Short or long term
• Task centred
• For siblings
• For boys or girls
• From birth to 18 years
• In an emergency or planned
• For asylum seekers or children in trouble with the police and courts
• Short breaks
• For troubled children with some risks that need a solo placement.

Expanding with Purpose

Since our establishment in Worcestershire, Family Fostercare has expanded its operations across England, opening regional offices to better serve local communities. Despite this growth, we have never lost sight of the values that inspired our founder, Martin Rae, to create the foster agency. We are proud to maintain a close-knit, supportive environment that prioritises the needs of children, foster carers, and their families.

Each of our regional offices is designed to operate with the same principles of care and community that we set out with over a decade ago. By keeping our offices small, with a maximum of 25 foster families each, we ensure that our teams can build strong, personal relationships with the families they support. This approach allows us to provide a more tailored service, where the unique needs of each child and carer are understood and met with care and dedication.

Our Objectives

• Keep the family feel
• Provide safe fostering households for looked-after children
• Continue to improve outcomes for children
• Provide a first-class service

Comprehensive Support for Foster Carers

One of the key elements of our success as a foster agency is the comprehensive support we offer to our foster carers. We recognise that fostering can be both rewarding and challenging, and we are committed to providing the resources and guidance needed to navigate these challenges effectively. From the moment a carer joins Family Fostercare, they become part of a supportive network that is there for them every step of the way.

Our support services include regular training opportunities, designed to enhance carers' skills and confidence in managing the diverse needs of the children in their care. We also offer 24/7 access to experienced social workers, ensuring that help is always available when needed. Additionally, we provide two weeks of respite care each year, allowing carers to take a well-deserved break while knowing that the children are being cared for in a safe and nurturing environment.

Our Approach

We pride ourselves on being a fostering agency with a family feel. That means we take the time and make the effort to listen to and support the needs of every individual,  in the way that works best for them—this includes not just fostered children but foster carers and foster carers' own families too. We work hard to build lasting, supportive relationships between our team and the foster families we work with because we know this ultimately leads to happier, more stable foster placements.

• Family-feel fostering
• Child-centred approach
• Small local offices—25 foster families maximum
• 2 weeks' respite
• Birthday and holiday allowance
• Accessible management style
• Friendly, open and inclusive ethos

A Child-Centred Approach

At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to the well-being and development of the children in our care. We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported, and our child-centred approach reflects this belief. Our foster carers are carefully selected and trained to provide a stable, loving environment where children can thrive.

We understand that every child is unique, with their own set of experiences, needs, and aspirations. That’s why we work closely with carers, social workers, and local authorities to develop individualised care plans that are tailored to each child's specific situation. Whether it's a short-term placement, a long-term home, or specialist care for a child with additional needs, our focus is always on providing the best possible outcomes for the children we support.

Building Strong, Lasting Relationships

One of the things that set Family Fostercare apart is our emphasis on building strong, lasting relationships. We know that the success of any foster placement depends on the strength of the relationships between the child, the foster carer, and the support team. That’s why we take the time to get to know each family we work with, fostering a sense of trust and mutual respect that forms the foundation of successful placements.

Our accessible management style and open, inclusive ethos ensure that everyone involved in a child’s care feels heard, valued, and supported. We believe that fostering is a team effort, and we are committed to working collaboratively with our carers to achieve the best possible outcomes for the children in our care.

Continually Striving for Improvement

At Family Fostercare, we are never complacent. We are continually seeking ways to improve our services and the support we provide to our foster carers and the children they look after. We listen to feedback, embrace new ideas, and remain open to innovation, all with the goal of enhancing the quality of care we offer.

Our dedication to continuous improvement is reflected in our ongoing efforts to provide training, resources, and support that meet the evolving needs of our carers and children. By staying true to our founding principles while embracing new opportunities for growth, we are able to provide a foster agency service that is both reliable and forward-thinking.