As you might have guessed from our name, Family is important to us!
Not the size, shape or makeup of the family unit, but what families do for each other. Accepting individual quirks but still giving a sense of belonging; being the stable base from which we can reach up to catch our dreams; believing in each other and raising each other up to fulfil our potential. We have the privilege of seeing, every day, how these things can transform a child’s life and the adult they become.
So our style of fostering is about creating that family-feel throughout everything we do. Looking after someone else’s child is a big responsibility and fostering inevitably involves some red tape and form filling, because it is important everyone is sure that children are safe and well. But that doesn’t mean it has to feel bureaucratic or clinical. That’s what we believe anyway.
Our approach to fostering is very much about understanding and meeting individual needs, promoting individual development, creating a warm, friendly, welcoming atmosphere, and being a small and steady ship from which we can together strive for excellence in the quality of care we give to children.
So, why choose Family Fostercare?
1. Because we love your individual quirks
There is nothing ‘one size fits all’ about us. We make sure our offices are kept small, with a maximum of 25 foster families at each to make sure our fostering teams have the time and energy to really get to know and understand every individual. We listen to your preferences and work hard to match you with children that will fit in well with your family. We work with you to develop an ongoing training programme to address your personal strengths and skills requirements. We give you and your family the support you need, in the way you need it.
2. Because we give you a sense of belonging
Our style is warm and friendly, with an emphasis on building strong supportive relationships. We offer plenty of events, activities and opportunities for looked after children, foster carers and their families and staff to get together for a bit of fun and relaxation, and the chance to socialise with other people who are on the same fostering journey. It may be an old adage but we love it - “The family that plays together stays together”.
3. Because we’re a stable base
We are a family-feel foster agency, and a family run one too. Keeping things small and steady is part of the essence of Family Fostercare. We have no overseas investors, we’re not part of a massive multinational group of companies, and we intend to stay that way. We steer our own ship, and our foster carers are at the helm with us. We have a loyal, dedicated team with a very low staff turnover, which means relationships forged between foster families and our fostering teams are strong and reliable.
4. Because we raise you up
One of our core principles is that training is key to stable fostering placements. When foster carers are properly equipped with the skills, resources and strategies they need to be able to meet the individual care needs of the child then fostering is a rewarding and successful experience for everyone. At Family Fostercare we make sure that our foster carers are given the opportunity to constantly develop and expand their skills and knowledge throughout their fostering career. We work with you to prepare a personalised program of training that addresses your specific needs and those of the children you foster.
5. Because we strive for excellence together
We love to talk and we especially love to listen, because over the years we have learned that great communication is essential for continual improvement. We value our foster carers as key stakeholders in our foster agency, and we want to hear your ideas, thoughts and opinions. We actively this through a wide range of formal and informal consultation opportunities. What’s more, we have a great track record on taking action on feedback from foster carers! Through good communication and team spirit we strive for excellence in our service to foster families and we encourage and support our foster carers to strive for excellence in the quality of the care they give to children.