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Team focus: your local fostering agency in Glasgow

Tuesday 03 August 2021

“Foster carers with Fostering Relations feel like they are part of something special… and they are!”

Lynne Greig is the Registered Manager of Fostering Relations, our local agency that provides support and training to foster carers in Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway, as well as West Scotland and the central belt.

She heads a team of supervising social workers and support staff who work with more than 50 fostering families across the area.

While the team is headquartered in Grangemouth and has a satellite office in Glasgow, the agency has a family feel – which is something they’re really proud of.

“As an agency, we are really passionate about what we do and we go out of our way to support children and young people, foster carers and staff,” said Lynne.

“Our foster carers say it’s like being part of a big family.”

The team

Foster carers in Glasgow are supported by the core team, including our supervising social workers, plus a wider collective of fostering professionals.

Each foster carer has their own supervising social worker who visits twice a month – once for formal supervision and once to have an informal chat.

Foster carers also receive assistance from education support workers, who liaise with schools and ensure that children receive the best educational opportunities.

If required, they also have access to a clinical psychologist, who offers support and guidance with behavioural issues.

Fostering Relations’ carer engagement officer helps foster carers access discounts and benefits they are entitled to.

24/7 back-up

Fostering Relations is an independent fostering agency. Being part of National Fostering Group, it has first class resources but has retained its family feel.

Lynne’s team offers 24/7 support from social workers and managers. Because theirs is a small team, any foster carer who phones up in crisis is able to talk to someone who knows them and their family circumstances.

Knowing you’re getting support from someone who knows your unique situation, rather than having to explain things to a stranger, makes a huge difference.

Above and beyond in lockdown

During lockdown, the team went above and beyond to support its children, foster carers and staff.

  • They identified foster carers who had higher needs and agreed at the outset how best to support them.
  • Every family received regular calls and emails from agency managers and social workers.
  • Staff met daily via Teams to collaborate
  • Educational support workers sent out daily emails with suggestions for activities to do with children of all ages.
  • The agency held fun online activities, including a cabaret night hosted by a member of staff who is a singer.
  • Managers worked late into the night to ensure that everyone was properly supported and the agency remained fully COVID-19 compliant.

It was a fantastic team effort that was appreciated by foster carers and children.

Lynne said: “We consistently achieve fantastic outcomes for our children and much of this is due to the outstanding work of our foster carers and staff.

“During lockdown they were even more exceptional.”

The wider foster carer community

Locally, there’s a sense of belonging to a big, extended family, thanks to the other foster carers working with Fostering Relations.

All new foster carers are buddied with an experienced carer as soon as they are approved.

They are also invited to join the regular wellbeing workshops, which offer advice and practical support for children and carers, as well as bags containing wellbeing goodies.

Peer support groups operate across Glasgow, the central belt and Dumfries and Galloway, offering all foster carers the chance to meet up and enjoy sessions from guest speakers.

All foster carers get to meet up at local training sessions too, which are free.

Children have their own support groups, which are open to foster children and birth children.

The agency holds social events throughout the year, including summer fun days, days out and coffee mornings.

Want to become a foster carer in Scotland?

National Fostering Group is the leading independent fostering agency in Scotland via Fostering Relations and its sister agency, NFA Scotland.

Many children are seeking foster families who can help them thrive. People from all walks of life are suitable for fostering, especially if you’ve worked with children before.

We offer fantastic training that will help you become the best you can be in your role, plus a generous fostering allowance.

Becoming a foster carer usually takes around four months, though we are able to fast track some applicants on an eight-week approval process.

If you’d like to know more, contact your local fostering agency for more information or an informal chat.

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