Swiis Foster Care Scotland – Fife in Dunfermline, Scotland

Louise Rankin

"I contacted the company to express interest in foster care - it’s something we have thought of many times and I thought since the website specifically said that they aren’t religious prejudice this company seemed like a good shout. Looks like after explaining that I am not religious prejudice and that I would be happy to care for someone of any cultural background - they “swiis”, have prejudice towards potential carers and our religious standards. So after a very short 2 minute conversation it was explained to me that we could not proceed as any prospective foster children would need to have at least a normal childhood. It’s astounding what people view as normal these days… There are foster carers who I wouldn’t let babysit a houseplant for a weekend. For these ones it makes me wonder how transparent they actually are? For those who are open and honest 100% they seem to have a bigger battle."

Dani Waller

"I have to say, for all the reviews I’ve seen, I don’t agree with any of them. I’ve been really disappointed with Swiis and won’t be considering them in future. My husband and I had been considering fostering for quite some time. It had been the forefront of a lot of discussions for us and we were really nervous but so excited. We knew we were ready and so made that huge step and requested the initial call. I’d gone through the first set of questions and was told I would require another call to gather some information and to provide me with more information on what foster care entails. This was great and we were so excited that the call was scheduled for just a couple of days later. I was 100% honest in every aspect of the call. No stone left unturned. I wanted Swiis to know exactly who we were, what our backgrounds were like and what kind of foster parents we would be. I was honest about being put on medication 6 months prior for situational depression, which came about as a result of COVID, working from home, a family bereavement and several COVID illnesses all happening at the one time. I explained that my GP would be happy to confirm I was fit and that my medication and mental health were 100% under control and that it was purely due to all the various different aspects of my life peaking at the same time. The girl I spoke to was lovely and said everything sounded great. She confirmed her manger would review all the information and get back to us however I specifically asked if anything I had said had given her cause for concern. I didn’t want to get my hopes up if it was obvious to her we weren’t suitable however she confirmed that everything sounded great to her and that it would just need to be checked by her manager. Imagine my surprise when I receive a phone call telling me we were being deferred for a whole year. She also said to spend the next year getting some experience of challenging behaviours under our belts. This, despite the fact that the website states, “Although it helps to have some experience caring for children, Swiis offer a wealth of training and support to make sure you'll make an outstanding foster carer.” I’m not 100% sure why the “wealth of training and support” couldn’t extend to myself and my husband in that respect however if I’m honest, it really just feels like we’ve been lied to as I know a couple who were given the green light to come along to the first group in Fife, one of whom takes medication for their mental health. Swiis definitely know this too as another Fostering agency had recommended she come off the medication before starting foster care and Swiis thought that this was a terrible thing to have advised her and said that they wouldn’t want that. I was so upset at the thought of having to wait a whole year before we’ll even be considered again that I didn’t even know what to say when I was on the phone. I was speechless. I just didn’t expect that at all with how incredible a company Swiis sounds like from the website. Shocked would be an understatement. It’s really tarnished the whole thing for us which is a shame because we don’t have any children and could offer so much time, love, compassion and nurturing to someone who really needed it. How can you determine someone’s fitness to care for another person based on a phone call? If it takes you multiple stages to decide someone’s good enough to do it, you should probably take the same amount of time to decide that they aren’t. Over 80,000 children are in care or away from home in the UK, thousands of families are needed, but not ours."

sheila Dales

"We work with Swiss and their families. Always made welcome. Staff very helpful."

Wullie Thomson

"Very good company who care for their workers and also the young people whom are under their care."

Iain Beaton

"Child centred private fostering agency"