Fostering in East Scotland
“This is a fantastic company to work for. Lots of support, superb training. Always someone on the end of the phone if needed.”
Welcome to the Dunfermline Swiis fostering team, covering Fife, Edinburgh & South East Scotland
Our Dunfermline Team was set up in 2004. We support our carers to provide loving family homes to care experienced children and young people for as long they need it. If you foster with Swiis, you will be given an allocated Supervising Social Worker who will meet with you regularly and offer you advice and guidance. We have a dedicated ‘on call’ service so you will always get the help you need when you need it regardless of what time of day or night. We also have therapists, involvement officers and resource workers who can provide extra support by agreement.
Alongside the personal support you will receive, you will also be offered lots of opportunities to learn and develop as a carer. Our training is available face to face, online, self-directive and via podcasts available to you on your very own carer’s portal. Whatever your learning style, there will always be something for you.
Although foster care takes place in your home, you will never be alone. You will have the chance to meet and build relationships with other carers formally and informally. We run regular support groups and various exciting activities throughout the year which you will be invited to. If you have children of your own, it is important to us that they feel supported to. They will also be invited and included in the different opportunities we provide. We have a Young Champions Group for our care experienced children and young people as it is very important to us that we hear about what is important to them.
Our office is based in Dunfermline, close to the motorway and has excellent transport links to all areas we support. We have a dedicated child friendly space within our office to support children and young people to spend time with people who are important to them. Together, we work in partnership to provide the best possible care for children and young people. We also have strong links within the local communities and a strong focus on providing care for children as close to their local area as possible.
Who works in Dunfermline?
Management Team
Paul Gaffney
Team Manager
Having joined Swiis in 2013, Paul Gaffney’s background in social work is firmly established in the residential child care sector where he spent more than 10 years working directly with children and young people. Paul moved to independent fostering where he felt his experience and skills would be transferable to supervising and supporting foster carers to overcome challenges and give young people an opportunity to develop to their potential.
Supervising Social Workers
These are the people that offer help and support to our foster carers, meeting periodically to discuss problems, successes and everything in between.
Rhona Hutchison
Christine Brooks
Frankie Ward
Jenny Arneil
Annie Arbuckle
Senior Practitioner
Senior practitioners are experienced social workers who have high levels of practice skill and knowledge. They are responsible for cases that will be significantly complex and that will require them to integrate and apply high levels of practice standards and quality.
Shirley Peden
Resource Workers
These are the people that offer emotional and practical support to young people, ensuring the safeguarding and smooth running of placement.
Allan Thomson
Carol Nimmo
Involvement Officers
Involvement Officers promote achievement and attainment, continuity of learning and stability in educational placement for children in permanent foster placements.
Neil Pitcaithly
Administrators
Administrators at Swiis not only look after the day-to-day requirements of the office, organize foster carer reviews and panel administration, but also act as the first point of contact to our carers and are an integral part of the team in ensuring all our carers are fully supported and very much a part of the Swiis family from the word go.
Sandra Brown
Support Group
We organise monthly support groups in Dunfermline and East Lothian to ensure our carers have an opportunity to meet with staff and other carers for ongoing support. Regular ‘Men in Foster Care’ meetings also take place.
Awards
Opportunities for children and young people to achieve accredited awards is very important to us – it develops their talents and skills. The following awards and training opportunities are on offer to them –
- Volunteering Skills Awards at Levels 3 and 4
- Personal Achievement Awards at Level 1 and 2
- Sports Leader from Playmaker up to Level 5
- Hi5 Youth Scotland Awards
- Dynamic Youth Awards
- Asdan Awards
- Certified online First Aid Training
- Certified Equality and Diversity Training
Regions covered
Edinburgh City | Mid, West and East Lothian | South, West, Central and North East Fife
Start Your Fostering Journey
With thousands of children coming into foster care in the UK everyday, we urgently need foster carers more than ever.
Refer a Friend
Do you know anyone who would be a fantastic foster carer who has the skills and compassion to support a child or young person in need of a loving home?
