Fostering in South Western
When you join Foster Care Associates South Western you will be joining a creative, child focused and knowledgeable fostering provider.
Welcome to Foster Care Associates South Western
Established in 2017, we have grown to become one the most reputable independent fostering agencies in the South West. Last year alone FCA South Western received over 1,400 referrals from local authorities for children and young people looking for a safe and caring home. With these numbers increasing year on year Foster Care Associates are constantly recruiting more foster parents across the South West to not only support but to provide loving care for these local children and young people.
We are passionate and committed in helping foster children find homes where they will be happy and cared. When you join Foster Care Associates South Western you will be joining an creative, child focused and knowledgeable fostering provider who has been Ofsted rated ‘Good’.
By Phone
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
By Email
One of our team is available to talk to you over the phone to answer any of your fostering queries.
Visit an office
Foster Care Associates, Unit 1 Delamore Park, Cornwood, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 9QP.
Benefits of working with FCA
24/7 advice service
Excellent ongoing training
Access to your local fostering team
Competitive payments
Local support groups
Local social activities and events
How do Foster Care Associates offer support in the South West
It’s our supportive and collaborative culture that makes fostering with Foster Care Associates South Western such a fulfilling experience. The experienced team of fostering professionals will provide you with the highest levels of local support. You will be well looked after at our monthly foster parent support groups and instantly welcomed into our fostering family as we work hard to make sure you never feel alone.
Our participation service offers a variety of opportunities for our children and young people. This includes education and employment support and motivation, CV workshops, targeted activities, children and young people’s counsel (for both fostered children and birth children).
- 24/7 local support: including monthly support groups, therapeutic groups and for all foster parents across the South West.
- Team Parenting: a regional and national network of childcare experts who may work with each child or young person to look after every single area of their well-being.
- Training and Development.
- Independent advice with a FREE membership to FosterTalk.
- A comprehensive events and activities calendar.
- Online support: Access to a portal to read about everything that is happening at Foster Care Associates, plus access to incredible discounts on family experiences, shopping and restaurants across the UK.
- Foster Parent Appreciation Day.
Here to support you
Here at FCA South Western we are a knowledgeable team of fostering experts who bring a vast spectrum of skills and knowledge. Our team work closely with local authorities and various professionals involved in children and young people’s care planning. This ensures that we do all that we can to enable our children reach their potential.
As well as 24/7 support from a qualified social work team, foster parent support groups, our therapeutic service offers therapeutic support for our foster parents to offer the best care possible to our children. All of our new foster parents are matched with a foster parent buddy at point of approval, with the aim to offer support in those early days and beyond.
We recognise the impact fostering can have on birth children, therefore we offer face to face training for the children we care for, such as first aid training which the children find useful in developing their skills. We also consult and involve birth children in our activities and events, as well as offering therapeutic support to your birth children through our therapeutic surgery should they request it.
Meet foster parent Jackie from Plymouth who has been fostering for 7 and a half years
Jackie, a FCA foster parent from the South West shares her fostering highlights and advice for anyone who is considering fostering.
“It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. The positives of it, is that many of the children I have looked after if I see them in the street will run to me and give me a hug. I think that’s the biggest compliment for me is that they remember me. I don’t think I could have asked for anything more.”
Fun and activities with FCA South Western
We pride ourselves in being child focused. Some of our activities at FCA South Western include; zoo trips to Dartmoor, clip and climb, indoor trampolining, beach days, Christmas panto, picnics, activity days out to Woodlands, Paradise Park and Lappa Valley. All our activities are attended by foster parents, their birth children and foster children, the regional team also like to attend to join in with the fun!
Every year we hold two regional forums in various locations across the South West. These forums are open to all of our foster parents where you can also connect with one another and share experiences.
We strive to provide engaging speakers and presentations, previous speakers have included Qudratullah Ibrahimkhil who told us about his moving story of his journey to the UK as an unaccompanied minor and then his experience living with his FCA foster parent, most recently we heard from a birth mother’s experience of family time and her relationship with her children’s foster parents. It is also a valuable opportunity to meet the regional team and ask questions and share ideas on how to develop our service to further bring opportunities to our children.
One of the UK’s largest leading communities of children’s service providers
We know what it takes to reach the pinnacle of success in regards to delivering the best outcomes for children and young people across our community. 100% of all FCA, and the wider Polaris services are now Good or Outstanding.
We have achieved this by listening to our staff, foster families and children. If you want to join an organisation that takes pride in striving for excellence then contact our team today.
"We feel proud and privileged to be able to provide a warm secure home for our foster children within a safe environment where they feel valued. We are proud to help them achieve to their full potential."
FCA South Western foster parents
Find your next fostering event...
If you’re already a foster parent find out how to transfer to us
Welcome from Naomi Pollard, Registered Manager
My name is Naomi Pollard and I have worked in the FCA South Western management team for 3 years, I have been the Registered Manager since January 2021. I am proud to work with a passionate team of foster parents, social workers, participation officers, therapists and referral manager. We are consistently striving for an outstanding service for our children and pride ourselves in our culture of learning and development in the region, sharing learning widely to ensure collective improvement.
Meet the South Western team
Naomi Pollard
Registered Manager
Sarah Clemens
Referrals Manager
Lynsey Lane
Supervising Social Worker
Peter Churchill
Fostering Service Manager
Luisa Tanner
Senior Regional Administrator
Hayley Scott
Supervising Social Worker
Julie Franklin-Baker
Therapist
Mel Holland
Fostering Service Manager
Jo Ellis
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Jodie Fletcher-Murray
Operations Manager
Neil Morris
Operational Director
Hannah Carnegie
Supervising Social Worker
Laura Costello
Supervising Social Worker
Claire Bowhay
Supervising Social Worker
Georgina Hamer
Senior Supervising Social Worker
Karen Carnell
Supervising Social Worker
