What support is available during a foster to foster transfer?

Support during a foster to foster transfer is intended to help you, your household and the child or young person move from one fostering agency to another safely and with as little disruption as possible. The level and type of help will depend on the circumstances of the transfer, the child’s needs, your existing approval and the policies of the agencies involved.

Your current agency should normally remain involved until the transfer is properly agreed and the new agency is ready to take responsibility. Your prospective agency can explain its assessment and approval process, identify any outstanding requirements and set out the steps needed before you join. A clear plan should identify who is responsible for each action, the expected sequence of meetings and how information will be shared lawfully.

Practical support may include:

• explaining the transfer process and what decisions need to be made;
• helping you understand the responsibilities of each agency during the transition;
• co-ordinating discussions between you, both agencies and the child’s social care team;
• checking that essential arrangements for education, health, contact and daily care remain understood;
• helping you prepare questions about approval, supervision, payments, insurance and local procedures; and
• providing a named member of staff you can contact about transfer-related issues.

Where a child is already living with you, the child’s welfare remains central to the planning. The agencies and relevant social workers should consider how to avoid unnecessary changes to routines, relationships, appointments, school arrangements and contact with family members. You may be asked to contribute your knowledge of the child’s behaviour, communication, health, development and support needs, because this information can help the new agency understand what assistance will be required.

Support can also involve meetings with your household. These give the prospective agency an opportunity to understand who lives in the home, how fostering affects family life and what preparation may be needed. Household members can raise practical concerns, such as changes to routines, privacy, transport, respite or the impact of the transfer on other children. Their views may form part of the agency’s assessment and planning.

The new agency may arrange additional learning if your training needs have changed or if its policies require specific preparation. This does not necessarily mean that every course must be repeated. The agency should consider your existing experience, completed training and current approval when deciding whether further training, an update or an assessment of learning is appropriate. Training may cover safeguarding, recording, health needs, managing behaviour, safer caring or the particular needs of the child placed with you.

Supervision should continue to provide a place to discuss the transfer itself as well as the child’s care. Your supervising social worker, or the relevant worker at each stage, may help you review risks, record significant events, prepare for meetings and identify whether you need extra support. If the transfer is causing uncertainty or disagreement, ask for decisions and next steps to be confirmed in writing so that everyone has the same understanding.

You should also ask the prospective agency to explain how it will support you after approval or registration. This may include regular supervision, access to training, advice from social care professionals, support groups, out-of-hours arrangements where applicable, and procedures for reporting concerns. These arrangements should be clear before you agree to transfer, rather than assumed from general information about the agency.

Independent advice can be useful if you are unsure about your rights, the proposed process or the effect of a decision on your household. You can ask both agencies how to raise a concern or make a complaint, and whether an independent person can attend a meeting with you. Keep copies of important correspondence and make a note of agreed actions, particularly where the transfer involves an existing placement.

Before moving forward, ask for a written transfer plan covering the child’s immediate care, meetings, outstanding checks or assessments, training, supervision, financial arrangements and the point at which responsibility will change. If any part of the plan is unclear, raise it before the transfer is completed. A well-coordinated process should give you practical guidance while keeping the child’s safety, stability and welfare at the centre of every decision.