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Sure Start Fostering

About Us

Sure Start Fostering Agency is a new and growing fostering agency based in East London, SSFA recruits foster carers for children in local authority care and supports foster carers to develop their skills and knowledge to care appropriately for these children; in this process Making a difference to the lives of children and young people in care, Sure Start Fostering Agency Aims to Support Foster Carers with Extensive Fostering Training & 24-Hours Support and Strive in all we do.

why choose us
What is Foster Care ?

Fostering is a way of providing children & young people in local authority care; with a caring and nurturing environment, during a period where their own family is unable to look after them.

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Why Choose Us ?

We are an independent agency with a friendly family approach. We are committed to improving the outcomes of children and young people who come in our care system. We offer generous payouts.

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This Statement of Purpose gives an outline of those requirements and also how the service is managed and its fitness to provide fostering services. It shows the policy and performance framework that underpins our work and shows how the welfare of children will be met and good outcomes achieved.

It also demonstrates the policies and procedures that we have set in place to recruit, train, supervise and support foster carers.

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Sure Start Fostering Agency (SSFA) highly values diversification amongst us all. Therefore, we are committed in equality in terms of opportunities given to the providers and as an employer, whilst eliminating unlawful discrimination.

The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. This would be shown within SSFA’s each policy and procedure.

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Our Promise

Provide you with dedicated support

Our team will support you through the entire application and assessment process.

Communicate with you in a speedy manner

You will be told all about the process to become a foster carer and every step will be clearly explained.

Be there for you 24/7

As a foster carer, we will continue to be by your side. We’ll be there for you 24/7.

Answer all of your questions

We’ll be there for you, ready to answer any of your questions about fostering and becoming a foster carer.

Treat you with respect

Every member of our team you come in to contact with, be it by phone or who visit your home, will be courteous, considerate and caring.

Be open and honest

To ensure you have an open and honest view of being a foster carer through our Skills to Foster training.

Fostering Assessment

To become a foster carer, you must complete what is known as a Form F assessment. Form F is just the name of the form used to show that you have completed all the stages of the assessment and are ready to go to panel. There are 2 stages of the assessment:

Stage 1 is the completion of several different checks, including criminal records and medical, which will show that there is no reason why you shouldn’t proceed to the Stage 2 of the process. You may also attend a training course during this time called Skills to Foster; this course will give you a chance to meet other candidates and to learn more about fostering.
Stage 2 is a much more personal process in which you will have a number of regular meetings with one of our social workers (who may well become your Supervising Social Worker if you are successful) and be asked to talk about your adult life and relationships, your early childhood experiences, your work and your family life.

Depending on how things go the whole process (Stage 1 and Stage 2) will probably last over a period of a few months and then you will be asked to sign the completed form before attending the fostering panel for your region.

Why Foster ?

Fostering gives you the opportunity to help often very vulnerable children in their time of greatest need By offering love and care.

Who can Foster

You can foster irrespective of your marital status, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, a homeowner, renting, aparent or a non-parent.

Types of Foster care

Sure Start Fostering Agency provides many different types of foster care to meet the needs of children across London.

Rewards of fostering

When a child is placed into foster care, the cost of caring for them is paid to the Foster Carer in the form of a fostering allowance.

A guide to foster care for children
Sure start fostering agency

Why Transfer to us

We offer a highly personalised support package, professional training & development opportunities. We arrange specialist training for parent & child.

Transfer to Us

Whether you foster with an independent fostering agency or your local authority. you still have the option to move to another independent fostering agency

How to Transfer

Usually, the biggest concern for carers wishing to transfer is how it will affect the child currently in their care. Because of this, we make it our primary goal .

With no child in placement

If you do not have a child in placement, you will be required to give written notice to your current fostering agency informing them of your intent to transfer.

News and Blogs

Jan
21

Help and support for foster parents

Help and support for foster parents -   1. Training & Development     You need to complete the training, support, and development standards workbook within 12 months of being approved to foster. Contact your…

Jan
18

Tax arrangements

Tax arrangements for Fosters - You should have registered as self-employed when you started to foster. You’ll need to file tax returns. Check with your fostering service what you need to do. In your tax…

Nov
16

Claiming Benefits

Claiming benefits - Check a benefits calculator to see what you’re eligible for. If you’re claiming benefits you need to tell the organisation that pays you that you’re also getting a foster care allowance. You…

Become a Form F Assessor

Find out more about becoming a Form F Assessing Social Worker.

If you’d like to apply to become a Form F Assessor with us, please contact us and we will email you an Application form.

Careers at Sure Start

Do you have a desire to change children's lives ?

We Offer a very Competitive salary with great staff Rewards, Perks & Professional development. contact us today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the commonly asked questions regarding foster care are below:

What is the difference between an Independent Fostering Agency and the Local Authority?

Unlike a local authority, fostering is all we do. As a fostering agency our role is support our foster parents. For local authorities their remit is much larger and involves supporting birth families, child protection and supporting children. By being able to focus all of our efforts on our foster parents, we are able to ensure you have the very best support.

What is an Independent Fostering Agency (IFA)?

An Independent Fostering Agency like Sure Start Fostering is a private organisation which recruits, trains and supports its own foster carers. Local authorities use IFAs to provide fostering placements for children in need of care which they have responsibility for.

Why foster with Sure Start Fostering Agency (SSFA)?

Unlike local authorities, who are responsible for fostering, adoption and child protection, Independent Fostering Agencies, like us, focus only on fostering. This means that we can devote all our time to our foster carers and looked after children. As fostering specialists, we’re better equipped to offer you the support, advice, guidance and training you need to provide the best possible foster care.

Do I have a choice about who I foster?

Yes. You can specify the age and gender of a child who will ‘fit in’ best with your family. And you are always involved in deciding which child will live in your home. The child, especially a young person, also needs to be involved in the decision.

Whenever possible the child or young person’s worker will arrange a pre-placement visit so both you and the child or young person will have the opportunity to get to know each other. Although, there will be circumstances where a pre-placement visit is not possible.