We always strive to create a positive working relationship with Local Authorities and their Social Workers. We believe Local Authorities know what to expect from By the Bridge, and appreciate the sensitive and efficient way we approach the care of their children.
We acknowledge the extreme demands made on today’s Social Workers and so we offer those who place their children with us the security of knowing that quality is being delivered and continuously monitored.
Our ‘Out of Hours’ service means someone is on-hand every minute of every day – to help, advise, or receive a referral.
Training
Our training aim and philosophy is to have highly professional and skilled foster parents so that a therapeutic environment can be continually in place at home for the benefit of the children. Families are considered key professional in which we provide wrap around support for our families and foster children.
Our extensive training equips our families to support the needs of children from birth to independence. As well as the mandatory post panel training, we offer 20+ Optional training courses, workshops and higher educational opportunities.
Opportunities for higher pay grades through promotion based on performance, training completed and skills evidenced.
Support
Each foster family has a dedicated Link Worker who telephones every week and visits their home every month. This means families know what to expect and the Link Worker can pre-empt any difficulties, recognise successes, ensure standards and offer help or guidance if required. Link Workers build positive working relationships to identify problems early and deal with them long before crisis point.
Link Workers also join in with professionals’ meetings and reviews and are the lynch pins of our organisation.
Foster parents participate in monthly interactive group supervisions with their peers supported by their Link Worker, Regional Manager and Regional Psychotherapist.
A dedicated Out of Hours service, managed by an experienced Social Worker with many years fostering experience and therapy training, operates whenever the office is closed - 365 days per year.
Therapeutic Plans are put in place for every child in our therapeutic fostering. These help pre-empt difficulties by identifying triggers to behaviour and evidence that the foster parents’ work is focused and well considered.
Each family has a dedicated Education Advisor & Grow, Learn, Achieve Consultant (EAGAL) to identify appropriate school/educational provision and to facilitate communication links. This ensures that foster children and young people have opportunities to do well in their education. They will also advocate if they need extra support. EAGALs also promote our Grow, Achieve, Learn programme to prepare our young people for independence.
We also have an Education, Participation and Achievements Manager who facilitates an extensive programme of activities and learning experiences for our foster children.
We have five regional Foster Parent Consultation Groups, supervision, training and social groups for secondary foster parents and groups for children who foster, including birth children and adopted children.
'All Inclusive' Fostering
Local Authorities will benefit from our ‘all inclusive’ approach, not just to our services but also to our fees.
By the Bridge focuses on therapeutic professional fostering services, providing quality and innovation as well as demonstrating value for money. In many cases we offer a viable therapeutic alternative to expensive residential care.
Our services are ‘all inclusive’ which means it is very unlikely that there will be any ‘add-on’ costs to the fee. Our package of remuneratio and allowances for foster parents ensures that you will not be asked by them for any additional funds.