AGENCY TRANSFERS
Are you already an approved foster carer? Are you considering transferring from your Local Authority or IFA?
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We take on existing foster carers and help you get back your zest for helping young people!
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If you're already an approved foster carer it's quick and easy to move to Parallel Parents, and any young people you're looking after can usually move with you too.
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Many foster carers feel frustrated at the lack of support they receive from their agency or Local Authority and feel devalued as carers. At Parallel Parents we want our foster carers to feel empowered and supported so that they can offer the best level of care possible to the young people they care for.
The support we offer is something that Ofsted picked up on, and have awarded us OUTSTANDING since 2010 for! Find out more here.
We are unique in the level of support we offer
We offer...
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24 / 7 support from our dedicated social workers and support workers. They're on hand 24 / 7 so our foster carers are always supported by someone who knows them & their circumstances.
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Generous allowances starting at £370 per young person per week, up to £850 per placement per week to help you care for the young people you look after and to reward you for your hard work. These are usually tax free and don't affect most benefits. Allowances are dependent on the number of children you look after, your experience and the needs of the children for whom you care. We give extra financial support where necessary, and issue advances to help support carers when needed.
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Paid respite breaks to give our foster carers breathing space. All our carers receive 14 days paid respite days which can be used however they choose - by having a short break away from home or spending some quality time with your family.
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Professional training to equip you to care for the young people you look after so that you can confidently deal with the challenges you face. Our training is tailored to suit your interests and requirements, depending on the type of young people you look after and their individual needs. We also offer professional and transferable qualifications to foster carers who want to progress their careers, such as Social Work degrees (depending on business need).
If you don’t have a young person placed with you…
If you don't have a young person placed with you then you can contact us to discuss the process but the formal application process cannot start until you have written to your existing agency or local authority to give them 28 days notice.
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When you've informed your agency or local authority we will arrange to meet you in your home and request a reference from your existing agency or local authority. When we have received this the transfer process can officially begin.
The full process of transferring agencies depends on whether or not you have a young person placed with you at the time you want to transfer.
If you do have a young person placed with you…
The needs of any young person you have in placement always takes priority and we do all we can to ensure as little disruption as possible is brought to their placement.
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If you decide you'd like to transfer agencies you need to get in touch with us and also tell the agency or local authority that you're registered with so that we can arrange a meeting together.
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It's up to the local authority of the young person you have in placement to decide whether they are able to stay with you when you transfer agencies, but in most instances they don't have a problem with the transfer.
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If the local authority are happy for the transfer to take place then the process can officially begin. If they decide the young person cannot move with you then you can continue to transfer agencies and wait for a new placement when you're registered with Parallel Parents.
WE'VE BEEN RATED OUTSTANDING IN OUR LAST THREE INSPECTIONS!
We pride ourselves on the"outstanding" levels of support we offer to our foster carers and our focus on the best outcomes for all children and young people in our care.
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In our last inspection, Ofsted said "children and young people are at the heart of this agency's practice and this is demonstrated throughout the service... Children and young people make considerable progress and achieve excellent outcomes in their lives."
They also said "foster carers receive excellent supervision and support.... A number of foster carers stated that the supervision and support they receive from this agency, was far superior to that of other fostering agencies.''
''I have to say that the level of support I have received has been second to none... It didn't matter what time of night I contacted my support team. They were always very supportive and helpful and nothing was ever or is ever too much trouble for them. There has never been a time when I have not received support when needed.''
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Parallel Parents Foster Carer
