This week we’ve been exploring myths around fostering here on our news page and we know that, for many people, you can often be deterred from fostering by agencies who put profit before people. We’re also aware, that with a wide range of fostering providers out there, sometimes it’s hard to understand how Team Fostering, as an ethical, not-for-profit organisation, is different to many other agencies.
While our focus as a fostering agency is to put children’s futures first and ensure the highest standard of care for young people from our foster carers, it’s easy to presume that this also means Team Fostering is focused on making a substantial profit from the work we do. However, while Team Fostering must operate sustainably, any surplus money that the agency makes is directed back into supporting the young people who need our help the most, while providing the extensive package of resources and support that appeals to our foster carers.
Our whole team are fully committed to our position as an ethical organisation, with 100% of our staff counting our non-profit position as very important to them and the work they do.
In 2018, Team Fostering developed this further by taking steps to safeguard the agency’s not-for-profit status in law, ensuring that even in the future, nobody within the organisation would have the ability to turn the agency into a for-profit enterprise. We’re keen to make sure that nobody has the opportunity to exploit the generosity of our brilliant foster carers, nor the vulnerable children we’re there to support.
Importantly though, our work as an ethical agency isn’t just about money. Our values and principles are entrenched in everything we do, from our business practice to our approach to recruitment; our ongoing commitment to anti-discrimination; the suppliers we choose to work with and the steps we take to reduce our impact on the environment. It is important to us at Team Fostering to be fair, transparent, and honest and we apply these values to our work and decision-making throughout the agency.
If becoming a foster carer with an ethical agency is a move you’d like to make, you can give us a call on 0800 292 2003, leave us an enquiry here, or live chat with us right here (look for the orange pop-out box on the right of the page.) We’re happy to answer any questions you have.