Transferring to Hampshire County Council Fostering Service

We are always interested in hearing from skilled and experienced foster carers. And thanks to our skilled recruitment and assessment team, the journey for current foster carers to transfer to Hampshire County Council Fostering Service could not be easier.

1

We value diversity

We welcome applicants from all walks of life and with our exceptionally talented recruitment and assessment team, Hampshire County Council Fostering Service are on hand to take you through the fostering journey at your own pace – answering every question you may have (or may not have even thought of yet).

2

We offer pioneering and unique LOCAL support

Once you become a foster carer, you will of course have the wonderful support of your social worker who will continue to help you throughout your journey. One of the extra benefits of fostering with Hampshire County Council Fostering Service are your access to the unique Hampshire Hive. The Hive are a dedicated support bubble for foster carers at a truly local level. Led by a designated Hive Carer Support Worker, it is made up of 10-15 foster families including birth children and the children they care for.

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service has over twenty hives across the county and with this unique level of fostering support, you will find you have regular access to guidance, and practical and emotional support right on your doorstep.

3

Our training and development is second to none

The training and development is second to none: Your development is important, which is why Hampshire County Council Fostering Service offer an extensive range of training courses that will help you when caring for children and aid your personal development. Our trainers are friendly and experienced, recognising the skills and knowledge you already have.

With a diverse package of training adaptable to different types of fostering, we will support you to curate your development plan, give you a clear focus on your learning, and help you map out the next steps of your fostering journey.

4

Careful consideration is given to matching the child(ren) to your family

Our recruitment team will work with you and your family to match the child's needs around your family's home environment, location and lifestyles to ensure that the child has a seamless transition into your care.

5

They provide financial support for you and your family

It may feel a little unnerving to talk about fostering in financial terms alongside the amazing and inspiring impact you will have on a foster child. Fostering can bring a consistent and regular income into your household – one that allows you to focus on fostering as a professional career. And with the current times, it really does enable a foster carer to offer the child a normal life with everyday experiences.

6

You will be celebrated and rewarded

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service value their foster carers and recognise that their outstanding and inspiring care provides stability to some of the most vulnerable children in the community. To reflect that, they regularly celebrate their carers. They host family fun days to bring together the fostering community and offer unforgettable experiences for foster children and birth children alike. They provide gifts for exceptional service, a thank you for outstanding support and formal events to honour long term foster carers. Hampshire County Council Fostering Service are always looking to ensure foster carers remain in the fore front of their minds and that they are honoured for brilliant work they do every day.

7

They allow YOU to make an amazing difference to a child’s life

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service could list 50 different reasons as to how becoming a foster carer fundamentally transforms and benefits a child’s life. Whether it is providing a child stability in a family dynamic or by supporting them to access education, helping children break from challenging home environments, or nurturing their emotional well-being; fostering is so very rarely a decision you will regret. It is a remarkable and inspiring role that fundamentally benefits children, your community and as seen from the list above - yourself.

If you ultimately do decide to foster, whether with Hampshire County Council Fostering Service or another organisation, remember you will be making an amazing and unparalleled difference to a child’s life.

8

You get access to perks and benefits

As a foster carer, you are entitled to a Blue Light Card – a membership that entitles you to dozens of discounts at major retailers and shops. With Hampshire County Council Fostering Service, you can enter loads of competitions for Amazon vouchers, free tickets to local attractions, and much more.

9

Hampshire children's services have an Outstanding Ofsted rating

Choosing to Foster with Hampshire Fostering you can be sure you’ll be working with the very best social workers and fostering professionals the county has to offer, and that children in foster care will receive the right welfare and protection they so desperately need.

To transfer to us you will need to have a spare room for an additional placement(s) or Hampshire County Council placement(s) with you currently. Firstly we will undertake a wide range of references and checks, including references from your current agency and social workers who have placed children with you. Before we complete an update describing your fostering experiences to date, we will read your previous Prospective Foster Carer Assessment (Form F) and fostering file with your agency. This process is shorter than a full Form F Assessment.

We aim to make the transferring process as easy and as seamless as possible for you. All Fostering Agencies, including Hampshire County Council Fostering Service, follow the Fostering Networks Transfer Protocol which states: The transfer of carers protocol assumes that carers have the right to freedom of movement between fostering services; the principle that, in all circumstances, the welfare of any child must be paramount.

View the Transfer Protocol.

If you have a child in your care at the time of transferring, we will ensure that this is not affected. Furthermore, with our competitive allowances and skills fees alongside our pioneering Hampshire Hive support networks, there has never been a better time to join Hampshire County Council.

If you wish to start the transfer process, please complete an initial application form. If you have any questions about transferring, please give us a call on 01489 587052 or email us at [email protected].

Yes, but it should be a faster process than your first ever application as a new foster carer. We request a redacted Prospective Foster Carer Assessment (Form F) from your current provider which does not include 3rd party information and we’ll go through it with you. You’ll also have the usual checks on the foster journey too. Your application for transfer will go to a Fostering Panel for approval. If you are currently fostering a child with your current provider, it will take slightly longer in order to assess the welfare requirements of your foster child.

Yes. The main priority during a transfer is the welfare of the child. You and your current foster agency will attend a meeting with all other parties who are involved in the care of the foster child. This meeting will explore any potential impact and if it’s in the child’s best interests to remain in your care as you move to Hampshire County Council Fostering Service.

Hampshire County Council Fostering Service has a very competitive allowance scheme and benefits. Our promise to you is that you will not be financially worse off by transferring to us. If this is a concern for you, feel free to have a confidential conversation with our team to ascertain what you will be paid before you decide to transfer.

We make every effort to approve your foster carer transfer as quickly as possible. The transfer application process is simpler than if you were new to fostering, and we aim to have you approved within four to five months.

All our foster carers – new and those transferring – are offered a wide variety of training and support opportunities – ones that provide a thorough introduction to fostering with us but also ones that build and nurture your current development as a carer. All of these courses are available to foster carers transferring to us.

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