Private Fostering
A Guide to Fostering with Family Fostering Partners
Who we are at Family Fostering Partners?
At Family Fostering Partners, we are an independent family run fostering agency dedicated to supporting, training and recruiting foster parents to provide safe and nurturing homes for children.
We are committed to the well-being of children and young people in our care, which is why we partner with foster parents who share our values. In turn, as a private fostering agency, we are able to provide a higher level of support and training to our foster parents, giving them the tools, resources and support that they need to thrive in their fostering journey; our goal is to ensure that the children we care for are safe, secure and happy.
What Can We as a Private Fostering Agency Offer Our Foster Parents?
- Personalised in house Support: Every fostering family is assigned a dedicated link worker, who provides expert advice, emotional support, and acts as a point of contact to ensure all aspects of your journey towards becoming a foster parent is streamlined. As a private fostering agency, we pride ourselves on knowing our foster parents really well – when fostering with us, you can expect the highest level of regular support, quick responses to your questions, and a link worker who will advocate for you and your family.
- External Support: As an extension of the support that we offer in house, as a private fostering agency, we have partnered with Foster Talk who provide free legal and medical advice, as well as exclusive training, offers and discounts.
- Training and Development: We offer ongoing training and development opportunities to help you gain the skills you need in your fostering journey. As a private fostering agency, we know that training is not a ‘one size fits all’ – you will be offered a tailor-made plan, bespoke to your fostering family and their needs.
- Peer Support: At Family Fostering Partners we also host regular local support groups, events, and family days where foster parents can connect with one another, share experiences, and build a supportive community. From pantomimes to Family Fun Days, we never miss an opportunity to bring our fostering community together.
- 24/7 Availability: We provide a 24/7 on-call service, ensuring you always have access to the support you need when you need it most. As a private fostering agency, when you pick up the phone to us you’ll be speaking to someone who knows you and your family.
Fostering with Family Fostering Partners gives me the feeling of being wrapped in a 12-tog duvet. I feel safe and supported and I know I can pick up the phone and speak to anyone should I need to.
David, Foster Parent
What is the Advantage of Fostering with a Private Fostering Agency?
Personalised Approach: Unlike fostering with your local authority or with larger fostering agencies, as a family run private fostering agency our foster parents are more than just a number. We take pride in knowing our fostering households inside and out and we always have their best interests at heart. “Our Link Worker is like our best friend” explains Nat, a foster parent with Family Fostering Partners.
Support and Training: We are available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance to you and your family. Our personalised approach also means that we can tailor the support and training we offer to suit each individual family. We pride ourselves on always being available to provide advice and support. “Nobody is inaccessible” explains Katie, a foster parent with FFP “I know that I can pick up the phone and speak to any member of the team at any time if I need too”.
Careful Matching: As a private fostering agency, we also believe in the importance of careful matching between our fostering families and the children they care for. We understand that like each child, each fostering family is unique, and we work to match you with children that align with your experience and values – taking into consideration current family dynamics, interests and preferences. Unlike with some local authorities or larger fostering agencies, there is absolutely no pressure to be matched quickly – we care about the right ‘fit’ for you and your family.
The biggest learning curve for us on this journey so far has been finding the right organisation to partner with in this process. In the beginning, we fostered through the local authority, which wasn’t very supportive, and we found that to be a bigger burden than actually supporting the children. So finding the right agency to be part of and to partner with is very important. During our time with the local authority, we had very little support and very little training and very little development. With FFP, it’s definitely been a lot more intense, and we are better foster parents for it.
David, Foster Parent
How You Can Foster with a Private Fostering Agency
Whether you’re new to fostering or transferring from another fostering provider, as a private fostering agency, we are here to support you in your fostering journey. There are unique benefits to fostering with a private fostering agency as opposed to your local authority, or larger fostering providers. To find out more about the differences, to ask us about transferring or to begin your fostering journey, please fill out the contact form.