1850 211593
The FFI Story
The Core Assets Group of Companies, of which FFI is a part, started off life in the Midlands area of England and has grown from a small office in Bromsgrove to become a multi-national organisation positioned as the leading group of non-statutory fostering agencies.
The brainchild of Jim Cockburn and Jan Rees, FCA was born out of the desire to make a real difference to the lives of children and young people who find themselves living in the care system.
The unswerving motivation of these two individuals has remained on par throughout the history of The Core Assets Group of Companies. The story of success is remarkable and while its rapid growth pattern may well suggest a shift in focus, the organisation continues to place the needs of the child in care firmly at the centre of what it does.
In 1994, Jim and Jan set out on a journey to bring about positive change and shape a better future for some of society's most troubled youngsters. Jan, a former foster carer and Jim, an experienced social worker recognised the need to introduce a quality foster care service to give the most challenging foster child the opportunity to experience living in a stable and supportive family unit.
Jim and Jan launched what is referred to as 'Team Parenting™'- a new and innovative model of practice based on the integration of support services. This approach was set to change fostering and its success can only be measured by the number of positive outcomes The Core Assets Group of Companies has achieved for hundreds of children and young people in its care.
'Team parenting™' is all about shared practice. It's about working as a team and identifying the individual needs of each foster child. Working as a unit, providing 24 hour support and ensuring the foster child, foster carer and a network of professionals are joined up in their thinking and are honest in the appraisal.
Following FCA's early success, Jim and Jan continued to look to the future, seeking out new ways to develop the organisation and build on its success. By 2002 FCA had established operations throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
A major milestone in the history of FCA was the development of services in the Republic of Ireland in 2005 with the set up of Fostering First Ireland.
By now, The Core Assets Group of Companies had the infrastructure and reputation to move further afield and make its mark on the international scene. In collaboration with organisations across the globe, the agency shared its unique 'Team Parenting™' model with like-minded professionals in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Finland and Sweden.