It's Easy To Transfer to us if you're already fostering
Reasons to transfer
we know that sometimes everyone needs a change, which is why it's your right to foster for who you want
There are many reasons that you might want to transfer, perhaps you don’t feel valued, or the support offered isn’t as promised, or you simply want to be paid more. Whatever the reason, don’t feel bad or guilty about wanting a change – it’s your right to foster for who you want.
Transferring with no child in placement
If you are currently approved, but don’t have a child living with you.
Transferring from an IFA with a child in placement
Are you currently approved by an independent fostering agency, and have a child, or children placed with you?
transferring from a local authority with a child in placement
If you are approved for a local authority fostering service, then the transfer process is slightly different.
Transferring to us if you have no child in placement
If you are an approved foster carer, but don’t currently have a child in placement then it’s relatively easy and fast to join us.
We’ve set out the steps below to make the process as transparent as possible.
Transferring to us with no child in placement
The process is easy!
1
Give us a call
We will have a chat with you about what you are looking for in a fostering agency, and will be 100% open and honest about whether what we offer is right for you. We’ve found that people often thing the grass is greener on the other side, which with us, it usually is, but we will be honest if we can’t offer you what you are currently missing.
2
We will carry out a transfer assessment
This process will be similar to your original fostering assessment, but if you’ve been approved in the past few years then it should be a lot faster.
We will however usually have to complete the same background checks, as this is required in law.
3
Approval then foster
Your assessment will be presented to our panel, who will then make a recommendation to our decision maker – who assuming they are happy will approve you. Then our fantastic placement team will match you with a child and get you fostering.
Transferring to us from an IFA when you have a child or children placed with you.
If you are an approved foster carer with an independent fostering agency, then you have the right to foster with any agency, and as long as we can provide you with the level of support you are looking for, then we’d love for you to join us.
As you have a child in placement, ensuring their stability is always our number 1 concern.
Transferring to us from an IFA, when you have a child in placement
Our number 1 concern is to ensure placement stability
1
Give us a call
First things first, give us a call so you can find out what we offer as a fostering agency. There is no point in transferring to us, if we can’t offer you what you’re looking for so please be open and honest with us and we’ll be the same with you.
Money: When you transfer to us, you will receive either our normal carers pay, or what you currently receive – whichever is the more. Please note, there might be very rare occasions when we cannot match your current fee – but we will tell you this at the initial call.
2
We will start a transfer assessment
This process will be similar to your original fostering assessment, but if you’ve been approved in the past few years then it should be a lot faster.
We may not start the second stage of the assessment until we have completed the transfer protocol meeting (which is the next step).
3
Transfer Protocol meeting
When we are confident that we can approve you as a foster carer with us, we will convene a transfer protocol meeting.
This will involve us, you, your current agency and the social workers for all the children you have placed with you.
The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that there is no disruption to the children placed with you. The meeting isn’t about whether you can transfer – this is 100% your decision to make.
4
Approval by us, and resignation
When we are nearing the end of your assessment, we will give you a date for you panel and a date that you should resign from your current agency. It’s important that we line up these dates correctly, to ensure a smooth transition. It’s really important that you don’t not hand in your resignation until we tell you it’s ok.
Transferring to us from a local authority if you have a child in placement
If you are an approved foster carer with a local council, and have a child in placement then it’s not always 100% straight forward to transfer, but we will always do our best to help you.
Because of the way our funding works, sometimes we are unable to accept local authority foster carers with children in placement.
Transferring to us from an LA when you have a child in placement
Give us a call to find out whether we can help!
1
Give us a call
The first step when thinking about transferring from a local authority is to give us a call to talk about the reasons you are looking to transfer.
We will be very open and honest with you about how easy of difficult it is to transfer, which depends a lot on which local authority you are moving from. If you foster short term, or emergency fostering then there is usually no issue, as we can time any move for when you don’t have a child with you. If however you have a child with you long term, then it may be difficult, but not impossible.
2
We will carry out a transfer assessment
This process will be similar to your original fostering assessment, but if you’ve been approved in the past few years then it should be a lot faster.
We will however usually have to complete the same background checks, as this is required in law.
3
Approval then foster
Your assessment will be presented to our panel, who will then make a recommendation to our decision maker – who assuming they are happy will approve you. Then our fantastic placement team will match you with a child and get you fostering.
You ask, we answer
We’ve put together a few common questions which are asked of us when people are looking to transfer
Yes, as a foster carer you have the right to foster for whomever you want. If you aren’t happy with your current agency or local authority then a change might be just what you need.
Technically you can, however, we would always advice coming to the conclusion of your allegation/investigation before you start the transfer process, as it’s likely that our approval will depend on there being an outcome. However we know that there are always 2 sides to a story, so as long as you are honest with us we will take a balanced view on it.
It’s really important to know what pay you’ll receive as a carer. All GLF carers get:
0-10 years old, £450
11+ years old, £475
For enhanced placements carer usually get an additional £100.
You’ll also receive a monthly contribution to your council tax when you foster.
We usually are able to transfer a carer in about 13 weeks, although this is very dependent on how long it takes for background checks to come back.
Ready to transfer? Arrange a call back now!
Don’t worry, the initial call is 100% confidential. We will only let your agency know you are thinking of transferring when we have commenced the assessment, and with your consent.
