What is transferring?
Transferring is a process which foster parents can take part in if they are dissatisfied with their current fostering provider. You can transfer freely from your current Local Authority or Independent Fostering Agency to a new agency without any penalties, and without a lengthy and confusing transfer process.
There are so many amazing reasons why many families transfer to FCA, including our outstanding reputation, our commitment to rewarding our families with a generous fostering allowance, and our Team Parenting approach to protecting children, all of which are supported by a stress-free and streamlined transfer process.
Tracy’s transferring story
We spoke with foster mum Tracy about her experience in finding the right agency for her and her family. Tracy is a hard-working foster mum, who specialises in fostering children with complex needs and disabilities. Tracy said, “My husband and I first started fostering in Canada, and we didn’t have the best experience. Fostering over there is all taken care of by the local authority, and they don’t have Independent Fostering Agencies, so it’s quite different from here in the UK. The issue for us was the lack of support. We had children coming to us without a social worker being in place, which was really challenging.”
“When we came home to the UK, we took a break from fostering. I worked as a nanny and my husband worked as a truck driver. When the children I was caring for grew up and moved on to boarding school, we decided it was time to return to fostering. We joined a new fostering agency but found in time that that wasn’t quite the right fit for us, either. It seemed like the perfect place for us when we originally joined, but they had a high turnover of social workers which made forming relationships with the staff difficult, and there was low morale among the foster parents because of that.”
Finding FCA
There are many signs that it might be time for a family to consider transferring to a new fostering agency. For Tracy and her husband Andy, the main thing which drove them to seek out other options was the lack of support they felt they were receiving. Additional support and training opportunities are especially important for families who care for children with complex needs. Tracy said, “We built a close relationship with a social worker who had recently joined FCA, and when I told her that Andy and I weren’t getting the support we needed at our current agency, she suggested that we think about transferring.”
Tracy and Andy were approved to foster through FCA’s Refer-a-Friend scheme, which rewards foster parents for recommending other foster parents, both new and experienced, to come and see how FCA can benefit them. Tracy said, “What we wanted was consistency, not just for us, but for the children we were looking after. We found that with FCA, they really go the extra mile to support us as a foster couple so that we in turn can give our best to the children. We found FCA at the end of May last year, and things have been amazing ever since. Being with FCA has been like chalk and cheese compared to our other experiences. It took us some time to find the right fostering agency for us, but I’m so glad we took the leap.”
A family-first agency
One of Tracy’s favourite things about our agency is how being part of the FCA family has allowed her and the children she cares for to live more fulfilling lives together.
“What we didn’t have with our previous fostering agency was holiday allowance,” Tracy said. “With FCA we’re able to take 14 nights of respite per year, which allows Andy and I to spend some time together as a couple to unwind, reconnect and recharge our batteries. We’ve also recently bought an adapted caravan which allows us to take holidays together as a family, as the caravan is kitted out with everything we need to properly care for our girls’ complex needs. Being able to share those experiences as a family and enrich their lives is so incredible.”
“Another fantastic thing about FCA is how their family-friendly events, which run regularly, cater to all children, including those with complex needs and different abilities. The best moment for us has to be at last year’s summer fun day, where we were able to hoist one of our foster children into an adapted bicycle so that we could ride around together, which was amazing fun for us both. FCA also hired a venue with a sensory room, which our girls really enjoyed. Little considerate things like that, along with the amazing friendships you get the chance to build, really make you feel part of a team and increase everybody’s morale.”
Download our Transfer Guide
Want to learn more about the benefits of transferring to FCA?
We can fast-track your assessment in just 12 weeks, allowing you to experience the benefits of our supportive community sooner than you expect. Download our transfer fostering agency guide to discover the process and advantages of fostering with FCA.
