Transfer Fostering Agency
“The independent fostering agency (Swiis) provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the independent fostering agency contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.” – Ofsted
Swiis is Ofsted Outstanding across all regions.
12:1
96%
24/7
9
“
“I’m so glad I transferred. I’ve seen a real improvement in support and have more money to put towards my foster children”
Swiis Foster Carer
Swiis is Ofsted Outstanding across all regions.
Changing Your Fostering Agency?
We know that the fostering agency you choose to work with is a hugely important decision. At Swiis, we welcome both new and experienced carers. We’re able to adapt our support to meet the needs of our carers whether they are taking their first steps into fostering or they have been working as a foster carer for a while.
We truly value our carers and ensure that we offer the support and guidance needed to enhance and progress your fostering skills, whatever stage you are at with your fostering career.
Swiis pay some of the highest fees within the industry as we fully appreciate the commitment, hard work and resolve of our foster carers. We commit to supporting them in every way to assist in the outcomes for the children and young people they have in an arrangement.
Swiis offers flexible core training which all carers undertake at a place and time to suit them. Foster Carers are also offered specialist training which meets the requirements of some of our more challenging arrangements.
Our continued commitment to all carers and both our children and young people in an arrangement is to ensure that our carers feel valued and supported and that the children and young people are provided with opportunities that they would not have otherwise had.
If you are looking to transfer fostering agency, Swiis will support you throughout the process and make the transition as quick and smooth as possible.
How is Swiis different?
We believe our foster carers deserve all the support we can possibly offer to ensure their arrangements are successful and they can make a truly positive difference to the children and young people they look after.
- All of our Swiis offices have health and education specialists who works closely with carers to understand their child’s individual needs.
- Our team of placement support workers offer a combination of practical and emotional support and organise activities which offer fantastic socialising opportunities for both the children and our carers.
- Swiis are also one of the most generous and competitive agencies in the market. We pay our foster carers extremely well because we recognise the exceptional value that they bring to the children’s lives.
- We have more first tier Local Authority contracts than any other Independent Fostering Agency, which means we are able to offer a much wider range of arrangement opportunities.
Find out more about the wide range of support and training and the Swiis foster allowance we provide to all our carers.
Your Swiis Fostering Journey
If you would like to transfer to Swiis Foster Care, we would love to hear from you. We will need to discuss your individual circumstances with you over the phone and then we can handle everything from there. The fostering agency or Local Authority you are currently with are obliged to provide a range of information during the transfer, including access to your current file, which will provide us with the information we require to transfer you quickly and in a much less intrusive way than your first assessment. Swiis will ensure the process is as smooth as possible, co-ordinating everything for you. The transfer will take between 2-3 months to complete.
What happens to children currently in your care?
If you are looking to transfer and have children currently placed with you, a ‘protocol meeting’ will be arranged early in the assessment process to discuss the needs of those children and what services we will offer them. As a Tier 1 Preferred Provider with the majority of Local Authorities in the UK, we are likely to already be known to your child’s Local Authority and Social Worker.
What additional support payments can you receive?
When transferring to Swiis from another fostering agency, you will receive a ‘one-off’ £1,000 additional payment once you are approved and have accepted a home-finding arrangement. If you transfer with a child currently in your care, you will receive a ‘one-off’ payment of £2,000. The additional payment is made to ensure that you can appropriately prepare the room and other requirements for the child in line with Swiis guidelines.
All Swiis foster carers are also eligible to receive a £3,000 ‘Refer a Friend’ payment for every new foster carer they refer to Swiis. Payment is received once the new foster carer is approved and the home-finding arrangement begins. In addition to your fostering allowance, Swiis foster carers can benefit from an annual bonus of £500, depending on the outcome of their annual review, and further receive additional payments for the children’s birthdays and Christmas/religious festivals.
How much do Swiis Foster Carers Get Paid?
One Child
Up to
£625
/week
Swiis pay excellent allowances. Together with outstanding support from Swiis, our foster carers play a significant role in transforming the lives of vulnerable children.
Swiis foster carer’s pay for one child in arrangement is the equivalent to £32,500. All of which is TAX FREE.
Enhanced One Child
Up to
£1,380
/week
Swiis will pay an enhanced fee if we are only able to place one child who, due to additional needs, is required to be placed on their own with no other children.
Swiis foster carer’s pay for an enhanced arrangement is equivalent to £71,760. £47,220 of this is TAX FREE for a child over 11 years old. £43,060 is tax free for under 11s.
Two Siblings
Up to
£1,218
/week
Foster Carers who are able to accommodate two siblings of any age will be paid a greater fee.
Swiis foster carers pay for two siblings is Equivalent to £63,336. All of which is TAX FREE.
Two Unrelated Children
Up to
£1,250
/week
Foster carers who are able to accommodate two unrelated children will be paid a higher fee. You must have two available bedrooms.
Swiis foster carer pay for 2 unrelated children is equivalent to £65,000. All of which is TAX FREE.
Parent & Child Arrangement
Up to
£1,167
/week
Foster carers who undertake a Parent and Child arrangement will receive specialist training and support. These arrangements tend to last no longer than 12 weeks.
Swiis foster carer’s pay for a Parent and Child arrangement is Equivalent to £14,004 for a 12-week arrangement. All of which is TAX FREE*.
*This is based on the pay from Parent & Child Arrangement not exceeding £40,420 in any one tax year.
Please note the above pay and allowances are an indication of the weekly payments made for each arrangement type. All fees vary as each arrangement is assessed on an individual basis and can differ by region.
Fostering Allowances are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change, talk to a member of the Swiis team to discuss how the finances could work for you. For current tax free allowances, please see the Gov.uk website.
What Happens Next?
We would love you to join the Swiis family. If you would like to find out more about what Swiis can offer you and how the transfer process will work, please contact us to speak to one of our experienced fostering advisors in confidence.