True Fostering becomes employee-owned

Fostering, social work and adoption agency True Fostering has become an employee owned after setting up an employee ownership trust (EOT) for its workforce.

True Fostering, which operates under the Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma umbrella, made the decision to transition to an EOT structure to position it as a front-runner in its sector and to solidify its dedication to the wellbeing of children and foster families.

Financial services firm SME Capital provided True Fostering with the necessary financial framework that allowed the agency to enable the shareholder buy-out and establish the EOT model.

Sarah Naish, director at True Fostering and Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma founder, said: “The shift to an EOT is more than just structural; it's a reflection of the agency's intrinsic values. The EOT model reinforces our deep-rooted commitment to the families and children in our care. It affords us the freedom to innovate and provide unparalleled, in-depth support, aligning even more closely with the needs of our community.

“This transformation heralds a significant cultural evolution within True Fostering, signifying our intent to deliver our own services, for example, savings for children, and offering tangible benefits to our foster parents. This move doesn't merely challenge the status quo of corporate-centric models; it sets a benchmark for a people-first, benefit-driven approach in fostering, a model others may find challenging to emulate. We want to thank SME Capital, the support we have received has been instrumental.”