Can I transfer fostering agencies while a child is placed with me?

Yes, you may be able to transfer to another fostering agency while a child is living with you. The transfer must be planned between you, your current agency, the proposed new agency and the child’s placing authority. The placement should continue only where the arrangements protect the child’s welfare, stability and legal care plan.

A transfer is not simply a matter of ending one agency agreement and signing another. Your current approval, the child’s placement arrangements and the responsibilities of each organisation need to be reviewed before the move takes effect. In practice, the proposed new agency will need enough information to decide whether it can safely support you and meet the child’s needs.

Start by discussing the proposed move

Explain your reasons for considering a transfer to your supervising social worker or fostering service manager. Common reasons might include concerns about the support being provided, a change in personal circumstances, communication difficulties or a belief that another agency is better suited to your household. Raising the issue early gives the agencies and the placing authority an opportunity to consider the impact on the child before any decision is made.

You should also contact the proposed new agency for an initial discussion. It will usually want to understand your fostering experience, household circumstances, approval terms and the needs of the child in placement. This early conversation does not complete the transfer, but it can establish whether the agency is able to consider taking responsibility for the placement.

The placing authority must be involved

The child’s local authority, or other placing authority, has an important role because it is responsible for the child’s care plan and placement. It will need to consider whether the proposed transfer is in the child’s best interests and whether the new arrangements can meet the child’s needs. The child’s social worker may arrange a meeting with you and both agencies to discuss the proposed change.

The child’s views should be considered in a way that reflects their age and understanding. This does not mean that a child has to make the decision, but their feelings about a change in support, relationships and daily arrangements are relevant. The authority may also consider the views of the child’s parents, the wider professional network and anyone else involved in the care plan.

What the agencies need to establish

Before agreeing a transfer, the new agency will need to assess whether it can provide suitable supervision, training and support. It will review relevant information about:

• your fostering approval and experience;
• the child’s needs, progress and current care plan;
• your household’s ability to continue meeting those needs;
• any current safeguarding, health or education considerations;
• the arrangements for contact, transport and other practical responsibilities; and
• any complaints, allegations, reviews or significant events that need to be understood.

A transfer should not be used to avoid an investigation, a safeguarding process or a concern about standards of care. Relevant information must be shared honestly between the agencies. If there is an ongoing allegation, formal complaint or serious concern, the transfer may need to be considered alongside that process rather than treated as a way of bringing it to an end.

Your approval and placement arrangements

The new agency must complete its own checks and decision-making before accepting responsibility for you as a foster carer. Existing information may be used where appropriate, but the new agency must be satisfied that your approval remains suitable and that it can safely support the child’s placement. You should ask what information is required, whether any updated checks or assessments are needed and how the transfer will be recorded.

The placement agreement and care plan should also be checked. They need to show which agency is responsible, who will supervise you, how professionals will communicate and what support is available to the child and your household. Agree a clear transfer date rather than allowing responsibility to become uncertain between agencies.

Do not resign from your current agency or allow your approval to lapse before the proposed arrangements have been confirmed. Ending an approval without a coordinated plan could create uncertainty about who is responsible for supervision, safeguarding and financial arrangements. Ask for the agreed steps in writing, including the date of transfer and the named contacts at each organisation.

When a transfer may be delayed or reconsidered

A transfer may not proceed immediately if the placing authority believes that it would unsettle the child, if the new agency cannot meet the child’s needs, or if important information has not yet been assessed. It may also need to be reconsidered if your household circumstances change or if the child’s care plan changes.

Your current agency’s concerns should be taken seriously, but an objection does not necessarily mean that a transfer is impossible. The reasons for the objection should be examined with the placing authority and the proposed new agency. The central question is whether the move can be completed safely and whether continuing the placement under the new arrangements serves the child’s welfare.

Questions to ask before agreeing

• Has the child’s social worker confirmed that the placing authority will consider the transfer?
• What checks, assessments and documents does the new agency require?
• Who will be responsible for supervision until the transfer date?
• How will the child and relevant family members be informed and supported?
• What happens if the transfer is not approved or the authority does not agree?
• Have the financial and practical arrangements been confirmed in writing?

Independent advice may be sensible if there is a dispute, a formal allegation, a proposed change to your approval or uncertainty about your contractual position. You can also ask both agencies to explain the applicable fostering transfer procedure and the reasons for any decision.

A well-managed transfer can take place without ending a child’s placement, but it should never be rushed. The safest approach is to keep the child’s stability at the centre of each decision, involve the placing authority from the beginning and move only when the new agency’s responsibilities, support and approval arrangements are fully agreed.