From feeling let down to feeling supported
Mike and Donna are experienced foster parents from Cymru who currently care for a sibling group of four; three girls and one boy, aged 4, 6, 9 and 10. The children have been with them for over three years, and the plan is for them to remain in the couple’s care on a long-term basis until they reach adulthood.
After four years with a different fostering agency and feeling increasingly unsupported, Mike and Donna made the life-changing decision to transfer to FCA Cymru. What followed was, in their words, “the best decision we made.”
Why transfer to FCA?
Transferring to FCA gave Mike and Donna the support they were missing, and the chance to keep doing what they love with the right team behind them.
Mike said: “The difference with FCA is incredible. Social workers are always at the end of the phone and the help and support by all the members of staff have just been fantastic.”
Donna added: “FCA not only provides activities for our foster children, but our own children and grandchildren have been able to attend those activities. From beach events to the Big Sing Off Choir Competition, they’ve all been included. Everybody is just treated as part of the family which is amazing.”
Transferring with children already in your care
It’s common for foster parents to worry they won’t be able to keep the children already in their care if they transfer agencies. But in most cases, that’s simply not true – especially when the children are settled and the long-term plan is for them to stay.
With a clear process and a detailed plan in place to ensure the child’s welfare, it is possible and often straightforward to transfer to another fostering agency while continuing to care for the same child or children.
Mike and Donna had the same concern before transferring to FCA. Mike said: “We were worried about transferring with children already in our care, but FCA reassured us straight away. There were no issues at all, and the children stayed with us.”
Get in touch
If you’re an experienced foster parent and you’re not feeling supported, you don’t have to put up with it. Transferring to FCA is easier than you might think.
You’ll get a dedicated team, 24/7 support, expert, ongoing training opportunities, and a warm welcome from an agency that puts you and the children in your care first.
As Mike puts it: “We’ve got no regrets at all. We only wish we’d done it sooner.”
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.
