The transfer of foster carers between fostering services is governed by a protocol which has been agreed with the main fostering organisations and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS).
The most recent version of the protocol was published in 2014, and reviewed in 2019 alongside the newly developed guiding principles. The principles of the transfer protocol recognise that all foster carers have the right to freedom of movement between fostering services, and that fostering services should not coerce or entice foster carers to transfer to a new service in order to ensure the continuation of a child’s placement with them.
