Five Rivers Child Care

What Five Rivers Child Care does

Five Rivers Child Care is an independent fostering agency and integrated children's services provider founded in 1989 and headquartered in Salisbury, England. The organization operates across England and, via partner agencies, the Republic of Ireland, delivering foster care (long-term, short-term, parent-and-child, respite, sibling, and emergency placements), residential children's homes (solo occupancy and group living), clinical services (assessments, therapeutic care, training), and education services including a DfE-accredited online school and a portfolio of independent specialist schools. Its primary customers are local authorities across England that commission placements for looked-after children, with a secondary B2C motion of recruiting and retaining foster carers through a Carer Enquiry Team and 150+ regional offices. All services are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

The organization's defining technical and clinical asset is the ATIC (Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care) model, a proprietary therapeutic framework co-developed with University College London and the Anna Freud Centre through a multi-year research partnership. ATIC combines care, education, and therapy into a single trauma-informed methodology, supported by a structured assessment process for tracking outcomes, mandatory ProActive Approaches behavioural support training, and relational practice standards for staff. The model is embedded across all service lines and is registered as a trademark. The organization is structured as a social enterprise (Five Rivers Child Care Ltd), reinvesting surpluses into services rather than distributing profit, and holds Investors in People Platinum accreditation and Social Enterprise UK certification.

Revenue derives primarily from per-placement fees and weekly fostering allowances (up to £470/week per child, £924.49/week for parent-and-child, and up to £28,000/year potential carer income) billed to local authorities, supplemented by education commissioning for specialist schools and the online platform, and clinical services packaged into integrated care contracts. The go-to-market is hybrid: enterprise/field sales to local authority commissioners via regional fostering teams, paired with inside sales and digital marketing for foster carer recruitment (referral bonuses of £2,000, book-a-call flows, eligibility quizzes). Distribution is supported by a partner agency network — Five Rivers Ireland, Foster Careline, Quality Foster Care, Safehouses Fostering, and The Fostering Company — that extends reach into Ireland and additional UK regions.

Name

Five Rivers Child Care

Legal name

Five Rivers Child Care Ltd

Website

https://five-rivers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Five Rivers Child Care is a UK independent fostering agency and integrated children's services provider, founded in 1989, delivering foster care, residential homes, clinical services, and specialist education through its ATIC trauma-informed model for local authorities and looked-after children across England and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's fostering and social care services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Emotional/Trauma-Informed Childcare (anxiety, PTSD) (HSAAAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live-In Special Needs & Inclusive Childcare (HSAAAEAJ), Pediatric 24/7 In-Home Care (Medically Fragile Children) (HSABAHAK), Medical Complexity & Medically Fragile Childcare (G-tube, trach, seizure care) (HSAAAIAG)

Keywords

• Independent fostering agency
• Children's residential care
• Trauma-informed care
• Specialist education services
• Local authority commissioning

Headquarters

HQ city

Salisbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foster Carer Allowances: Foster carers receive weekly allowances comprising a professional fee and a living allowance for the child. Standard allowance up to £470/week per child; parent and child placements receive £924.49/week. Payments are tax-free for most carers and supplemented by government tax relief schemes.
2. Local Authority Contracts: Five Rivers provides specialist fostering services to local authorities under contract. As an independent fostering agency (IFA), they receive payment from local authorities for matched placements of children in care.
3. Education Services: Five Rivers operates independent special schools and online education services, providing therapeutic educational frameworks to children in care. Revenue generated through local authority commissioning of education placements.
4. Residential Care Services: Residential children's homes providing solo occupancy and group living placements. Services commissioned by local authorities for children with complex emotional and behavioural needs.
5. Clinical Services: Multi-disciplinary clinical services including assessments, therapeutic care, and education and training for carers. Provided as part of integrated care packages commissioned by local authorities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Five Rivers Child Care provides integrated looked-after-children services in England, centered on foster placements of multiple types (long-term, short-term, parent-and-child, respite, sibling, emergency), residential children's homes (solo occupancy and group living), specialist education (including the DfE-accredited Five Rivers Online School and several Ofsted-registered independent specialist schools), and multi-disciplinary clinical services such as assessments and therapeutic care. All services are wrapped around its proprietary ATIC (Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care) model, developed with University College London and the Anna Freud Centre, and are sold primarily through commissioned contracts with English local authorities.

Product overview

Five Rivers Child Care is an independent fostering agency and children's services provider operating since 1989. The organization offers an integrated portfolio of services centered on foster care (including long-term, short-term, parent and child, respite, sibling, and emergency placements), residential children's homes (solo occupancy and group living models), and clinical services (assessments, therapeutic care). All services are delivered through their proprietary ATIC® (Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care) model developed with UCL and the Anna Freud Centre. Education services include the Five Rivers Online School (a DfE-accredited nationwide virtual learning platform) and multiple OFSTED-registered independent specialist schools (1 ACE, Clannad, Endeavour House, Park House, The Spires, Field Gate, Willow View, Sky Vale, River Valley). As a social enterprise, surplus income is reinvested into services. The organization operates across England with local fostering teams and partner agencies including Five Rivers Ireland, Foster Careline, Quality Foster Care, Safehouses Fostering, and The Fostering Company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fostering Services Comprehensive fostering services spanning long-term, short-term, parent-and-child, respite, sibling and emergency placements, matched by dedicated social workers and supported by 24/7 local teams across England.
• Long-Term Fostering Extended-duration fostering placements that provide looked-after children with stable, nurturing homes until they reach adulthood or are ready for independent living.
• Short-Term Fostering Temporary foster placements ranging from a single overnight stay to several months, used while a long-term arrangement is determined.
• Parent and Child Fostering Specialist placements in which a parent and their child stay together with a trained foster carer providing guidance, with elevated weekly allowances starting at £906.36 (referenced elsewhere as £924.49).
• Respite Foster Care Short-break foster care for children whose primary carer is temporarily unable to look after them, typically lasting no more than fourteen days.
• Emergency Foster Care Urgent temporary foster placements for children who need immediate safe accommodation, typically lasting from a few days up to several months.
• Residential Children's Homes Trauma-informed residential care homes for children aged 5-18, offering solo-occupancy and group-living environments commissioned by local authorities.
• Education Services Therapeutic education framework delivering emotional growth alongside academic outcomes, comprising an online school plus several independent specialist day schools.
• Five Rivers Online School DfE-accredited online education platform delivering high-quality teaching to students aged 6-18, accessed nationwide by schools and local education authorities.
• 1 ACE (Another Chance Education) Outreach educational provision offering therapeutic, holistic and SEN support for children who struggle in formal or specialised education settings.
• Clinical Services Multi-disciplinary clinical services covering assessments, therapeutic care, research and development, and education and training for foster carers, typically commissioned by local authorities as part of integrated care packages.

Quantifiable outcome

• All services rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Five Rivers IrelandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner fostering agency extending Five Rivers services to the Republic of Ireland. Allows the organisation to provide fostering services across Ireland under the Five Rivers brand.
• Foster CarelineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner fostering agency operating as part of the Five Rivers family of fostering services.
• Quality Foster CareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner fostering agency operating as part of the Five Rivers family of fostering services.
• Safehouses FosteringminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner fostering agency operating as part of the Five Rivers family of fostering services.
• The Fostering CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner fostering agency operating as part of the Five Rivers family of fostering services.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for understanding impacts of childhood adversity and developing the ATIC (Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care) model. Joint research studies conducted over four-year period.
• Anna Freud CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership contributing to development of the ATIC (Attachment and Trauma-Informed Care) model. Partnership focused on evidence-based approaches to trauma and adversity in children.
• Foster TalkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree membership provided to all foster carers. Foster Talk is a support and advice service for foster carers.
• New Family SocialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree membership provided to foster families (where applicable). Community organisation for LGBTQ+ foster and adoptive families.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Catch22: UK social business providing children's services including fostering, residential care, and education. Broad incumbent offering comparable integrated services to local authorities, overlapping with Five Rivers' multi-vertical model.
• Barnardo's: One of the UK's largest children's charities, providing fostering, adoption, residential care, and education services. Broad incumbent overlapping with Five Rivers' integrated portfolio but operating at much larger scale across wider services.
• Action for Children: Major UK children's services charity providing fostering, residential, and family support services to local authorities. Broad incumbent with overlapping service lines to Five Rivers' integrated care platform.

Direct peers

• TACT (The Adolescent and Children's Trust): UK fostering and adoption charity operating across multiple regions, providing fostering, residential, and education services to local authorities. Comparable to Five Rivers as a multi-vertical children's services provider.
• The Children's Family Trust: Independent fostering agency providing fostering services across multiple UK regions. Comparable to Five Rivers as a mid-sized IFA serving local authority commissioners.
• Foster Care Associates: One of the UK's largest independent fostering agencies, providing fostering placements and related services to local authorities. Direct competitor to Five Rivers with overlapping service portfolio and similar reliance on local authority commissioning.
• Swiis Foster Care: Independent fostering agency operating across the UK, providing fostering and related services to local authorities. Comparable to Five Rivers in service scope and target customer base.
• Compass Fostering: UK independent fostering agency offering long-term, short-term, respite, and parent-and-child placements. Direct peer to Five Rivers in fostering service offerings and local authority customer base.
• National Fostering Agency (NFA): Independent fostering agency providing a range of foster placements (long-term, short-term, parent-and-child, respite) to local authorities. Directly competes with Five Rivers on placement types and carer recruitment.
• Capstone Foster Care: Independent fostering agency providing placements to local authorities across England. Direct competitor to Five Rivers with overlapping placement types and similar geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkM-_2nFTNUNb3SYOzTB8SQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/FiveRiversChildCare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/five-rivers-child-care
• Instagraminstagram.com/fiveriverschildcare
• Xx.com/five_rivers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Five Rivers Child Care