The Fostering Foundation

Working together to achieve the best for looked after children in the South West.

All about us

About Us

The Fostering Foundation is an independent and accessible agency dedicated to supporting foster carers and looked-after children here in the Southwest of England. Our dedicated team comprises foster carers, social workers, administrators, therapists, and support staff, all working to provide the best possible care for looked-after children requiring respite, short-term and long-term fostering.

Founded by Geoff Lewis in 1999, The Fostering Foundation originated in a humble room in North London. Geoff's vision was to establish a child-centred fostering service embodying values of excellence, empathy and professionalism, fostering an environment where these values resonate among staff and carers. These foundational principles still inform our approach today.

We are committed to accompanying you throughout your journey, offering exceptional support from day one — including bespoke training in all areas of fostering, dedicated support groups and peer-support in your area, and access to therapeutic services. Additionally, we provide a round-the-clock service, 365 days a year, to support our carers and young people when they need us the most.

We also organise regular activity groups for all children under our care, including the birth sons and daughters of our foster carers, and offer individualised assistance wherever it is needed. Our comprehensive and holistic approach to providing the support needed by each individual child and young person is what sets us apart from other fostering organisations.

Our primary objective is to empower you to positively impact a child's life. And it all starts with a phone call...

Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose outlines how

The Fostering Foundation functions as an Independent Fostering Agency. The statement has been developed in accordance with relevant legislation and statutory regulations. It aims to provide parents, foster carers, staff and all other professionals with information about how the agency operates and what The Fostering Foundation has to offer.

We also have available a young person’s Statement of Purpose which outlines for the children and young people what we provide as an organisation and how we can support them to achieve.

Please take a moment to download and take a read. Any questions then please do ask us.

Find out more

The Fostering Foundation owes its success to the exceptional

Carers

Southwest Team

Our devoted group of approved foster carers is an integral part of our collective. Spanning the Southwest of England — from Devon and Cornwall to Gloucestershire — they contribute significantly to our agency's growth. Participating in marketing events and offering valuable feedback, as well as all the work they do in supporting the looked-after children in their care, our carers form the cornerstone of The Fostering Foundation.

Southwest Team

Situated in the picturesque town of Tavistock, Devon, our central office serves as the nerve centre for corporate operations and a welcoming space for our foster carers and staff. Comprising four seasoned social workers and a proficient team manager, the social work team innovates to craft improved outcomes for both young individuals and foster caregivers

Exeter Team

Southwest Team

Bristol Team

The newest addition to our regions, Exeter supplements the established Tavistock and Bristol regions. Despite its recent inception, the team boasts two adept supervising social workers collaborating with the registered manager to ensure top-tier support and service for our caregivers and youth.

Bristol Team

Therapeutic Support

Bristol Team

Catering to Bristol, Swindon, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire, our Bristol office in Kingswood is manned by three supervising social workers and a proficient team manager. They deftly manage a diverse caseload, including specialist parent & child carers and a growing group of foster carers specialising in caring for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC).

Business Support

Therapeutic Support

Our business support team serves as the initial point of contact with The Fostering Foundation. From recruitment and placement officers to dedicated business administrators, they are well-versed in all things foster care and eager to assist with your enquiries. Their dedication lies in ensuring a seamless fostering journey from initiation to continuation.

Therapeutic Support

Our support workers and therapeutic practitioners play a crucial role in providing care and assistance to our foster carers and young people. Their expertise is vital in addressing the complex emotional and psychological needs of those in foster care, ensuring that both carers and the young individuals receive the necessary support for a stable and nurturing environment.

Our foster carer stories

Dean and Marie

Dean and Marie have been approved foster carers with The Fostering Foundation since 2014. Marie had previously worked as an enabler for vulnerable children. The couple also have 2 grown up children and grandchildren. They started their fostering career with a sibling group of 2 children who were placed with them soon after their

approval at panel.

Since being foster carers they have changed their approval and now also offer either specialised parent and child assessment placements, or provide care for a young person who will remain with them until he reaches independence, although he says he’s never moving out—both fostering and parent and child assessments are equally rewarding!

Dean and Marie get a lot of joy from having young people live with them and helping them to reach their goals and aspirations. The couple describe their relationship with The Fostering Foundation as brilliant and that they have an excellent relationship with their supervising social worker.

Soban and Iqra

It’s been 19 months since my husband and I were approved as foster carers in Bristol. After the assessment and panel, we were really thrilled that now we will be able to help young people and welcome them into our loving family, understanding that it may be difficult coming

into our family where we are full of love, listening, and caring for one another if they haven’t been fortunate to experience a solid strong family network.

After our first placement we realised, it certainly isn’t easy, you will be working full time, there for them 24 hours a day, and need lots of flexibility as you will be doing things you’d never expect you would be doing, but a good learning curve for us all. It is such a nice feeling to provide for a young person when they are settling and realise they are cared for and we are there to support them.

We are thoroughly enjoying our fostering experience

All about us

About Us

Statement of Purpose

meet the fostering foundation team