Small Agency / New Agency Case Study (5 min read)

In 2020, unaware of the looming pandemic, 3 highly experienced social workers decided to start their own fostering agency, Ivy House Fostering. They new that the most important element of launching their new business was to keep staffing and administrative costs down. They also knew that CHARMS, the long established social care management solution would enable them to do it.

Objectives

The administrative burden of starting a fostering agency, and having the agency certified by the authorities, is one of the biggest hurdles new, and small, agencies have to overcome. With CHARMS installed, configured, and ready to help, the new owners were able to focus on what they knew best and leave CHARMS to guide them through the process of growing their young business.

In using CHARMS, all the agency team could see how it would help with compliance with data protection regulations, foster care regulations, required minimum standards and all Social Care inspection frameworks that were applicable.

As a not-for-profit organization, CHARMS.US also helps its customers by significantly reducing the costs of ownership. This is because the licencing costs for CHARMS are a fraction of the cost of its competitors. Ivy House Fostering also benefitted from this immediate low cost start to using the software.

Implementation over COVID

The first COVID 19 lockdowns were announced by the UK government, but the project had to proceed. Though the COVID pandemic had changed everything, the implementation of the CHARMS system at Ivy House Fostering had to go ahead as per the plan, given all the work that the Ivy House team had put in to become an approved agency.

COVID meant that it all had to be done remotely but the challenge was taken up by the team at Ivy House and by our CHARMS colleagues. Training was delivered remotely, and each member of the team received their own, one-to-one training. Every trainee was enthusiastic.

CHARMS went live in March/April 2020 and throughout the project all stakeholders thoroughly enjoyed the process and couldn't wait to get it up and running.

Outcomes for Ivy House Fostering

The business continues to make full use of CHARMS to reduce their need for excess administrative staff. The money our system saves their business is much more usefully deployed in ensuring better outcomes for the children in the care of their foster parents. Those reduced costs are also used to attract new foster parents through various events funded by their CHARMS low cost solution.

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CHARMS is supplied by Social Care Network LLC, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to help our social care community become more effective, efficient and economicably viable.