Blue Sky Fostering
Blue Sky Fostering is a UK Independent Fostering Agency recruiting, training, and supporting foster carers to provide Ofsted-rated Outstanding placements for local authorities across the South of England, with a differentiated trauma-informed Therapeutically Led Care model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersHarrow, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Blue Sky Fostering does
Blue Sky Fostering is a UK Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) founded in 2005 by social worker Simon Lockyer and headquartered at 4 Jardine House, Harrovian Business Village, Harrow, with regional operations across the South of England. The agency recruits, trains, and supports foster carers to provide placements for children and young people in care, operating across eight counties (Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex, Surrey, and Kent) with regional hubs and a 94-person workforce. Its service portfolio spans standard fostering, Fostering Young People, Fostering Teenagers, Sibling fostering, Parent and Child fostering, Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC), Respite care, and its differentiated Therapeutically Led Care (TLC) offering — a trauma-informed model rooted in attachment theory that supports placements for children with complex needs. The agency also holds the distinction of being the first independent fostering agency to be granted a Duke of Edinburgh licence, enabling young people in its care to participate in the DofE award programme.
The company's primary differentiator is its sustained regulatory standing — Blue Sky Fostering has been rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted at every inspection since 2008, six consecutive cycles — and its proprietary TLC clinical model. Day-to-day operations are supported by the CHARMS case-management database (provided by Social Care Network Solutions Limited), which stores foster carer records, placement information, reviews, meetings, and visits. IT infrastructure support is provided by Objective Computing Limited. The agency holds Cyber Essentials and Carbon Neutral 2025 certifications, and maintains a centralised support model including 24/7 assistance, a buddy system pairing new carers with experienced ones, and Skills to Foster training.
Blue Sky Fostering generates revenue through commissioned foster placements paid by local authority social services departments under negotiated contracts (managed services model). Specific fee schedules are not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and dual-pronged: a recruitment team attracts prospective foster carers via community information events, digital marketing, content (news/blog), social media, and partnerships with The Fostering Network, while a dedicated Placements Team works proactively with local authority commissioners to match referred children with appropriate carers. Blue Sky Fostering is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BSN Social Care Ltd, a diversified social care group that also includes Nexus Fostering, Calon Cymru Fostering, and Olive Branch Fostering, sharing services and operational infrastructure across the group.
Blue Sky Fostering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blue Sky Fostering
- Legal name
- Blue Sky Fostering Ltd
- Website
- https://blueskyfostering.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Blue Sky Fostering is a UK Independent Fostering Agency recruiting, training, and supporting foster carers to provide Ofsted-rated Outstanding placements for local authorities across the South of England, with a differentiated trauma-informed Therapeutically Led Care model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blue Sky Fostering industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Foster Care Services / Independent Fostering Agency
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)
Keywords
Where Blue Sky Fostering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Harrow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Blue Sky Fostering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Foster Care Placement Services: Blue Sky Fostering provides Ofsted-rated 'Outstanding' fostering placements for children and young people. Local authorities commission placements and pay for the service. Revenue is generated through contracts with local authority commissioning services for matching and placing children with foster carers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Foster carer allowances and benefits |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Blue Sky Fostering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blue Sky Fostering is an Ofsted-rated 'Outstanding' independent fostering agency that recruits, trains, and supports foster carers across the South of England and matches them with children and young people referred by local authorities. Its core offering is a portfolio of foster care placement services — including therapeutic, young people, teenager, sibling, parent and child, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and respite placements — underpinned by a Therapeutically Led Care (TLC) model rooted in attachment theory and 24/7 carer support.
Product overview
Blue Sky Fostering is a fostering agency offering a unified therapeutic fostering service across the South of England. At its core is Therapeutically Led Care (TLC), a trauma-informed approach rooted in attachment theory that distinguishes their service from standard fostering. The agency provides multiple fostering types including young people, teenagers, siblings, parent and child, unaccompanied asylum seeking children, and respite care. All services are supported by comprehensive training programs, 24/7 support, and the Blue Sky Buddy System connecting new carers with experienced ones. The agency has been consistently rated Outstanding by Ofsted since 2008.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fostering Services
- Therapeutically Led Care (TLC)
- Training and Support Services for Foster Carers
- Placement Matching Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted consistently since 2008 - 6 consecutive inspections
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Blue Sky Fostering
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Blue Sky Fostering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Blue Sky Fostering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BSN Social Care LtdcoreBlue Sky Fostering is part of BSN Social Care Ltd, a group that also includes Nexus Fostering, Calon Cymru Fostering, and Olive Branch Fostering. BSN Social Care provides shared services across the group.
- Social Care Network Solutions LimitedcoreProvides the CHARMS database system used by Blue Sky Fostering for securely storing all case information about foster carers, children in placement, reviews, meetings, visits, and individual work.
- The Fostering NetworkminorBlue Sky supports The Fostering Network and their initiatives, including raising money for Kids Matter to help support families through financial hardship.
- Duke of Edinburgh AwardcoreBlue Sky Fostering is the first independent fostering agency to be given a Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) licence, enabling young people in their care to participate in the DofE award program.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Blue Sky Fostering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Acorn Care & Education: Larger UK social care group owning multiple fostering agencies (including Five Rivers). Operates in the same independent fostering agency market but as part of a much broader portfolio spanning fostering, residential and education services.
- Action for Children: Major UK children's charity operating fostering services alongside residential, family support and education programmes. Competes with Blue Sky for local authority commissioned placements but as part of a much larger national charity portfolio.
- Polaris Community: UK social care group that owns Foster Care Associates and other IFAs. Broader incumbent competing in the same local authority fostering market but with a wider portfolio of children's services.
Direct peers
- Capstone Foster Care: UK independent fostering agency also rated Outstanding by Ofsted, with a comparable therapeutic model and South-of-England presence. Direct head-to-head competitor for local authority therapeutic placements.
- National Fostering Agency: Established UK-wide independent fostering agency offering therapeutic, sibling, and parent-and-child placements - directly comparable service mix to Blue Sky Fostering and competing for the same local authority contracts.
- Five Rivers Child Care: UK fostering and residential provider operating independent fostering agency services across multiple regions. Comparable in offering therapeutic, sibling and parent-and-child placements and competing for the same local authority commissioning contracts.
- Foster Care Associates: One of the largest UK independent fostering agencies, part of the Polaris community. Directly competes with Blue Sky for local authority placements across England with a comparable mix of fostering types and Ofsted ratings.
- Catalyst Fostering: Independent fostering agency providing therapeutic, sibling and parent-and-child placements across England. Directly comparable offering and target customer base to Blue Sky Fostering.
- Calon Cymru Fostering: Welsh fostering agency within the BSN Social Care group alongside Blue Sky Fostering. Same parent group, same regulatory framework (Care Inspectorate Wales equivalent), and same operating model, making it the closest direct peer for service delivery and revenue comparisons.
- Nexus Fostering: Sister agency under BSN Social Care Ltd alongside Blue Sky Fostering. Directly comparable UK independent fostering agency operating with a similar therapeutic ethos and shared CHARMS case management platform; allows direct benchmarking of placement, training, and commissioning models.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Blue Sky Fostering social profiles
Digital presenceBlue Sky Fostering compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Blue Sky Fostering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blue Sky Fostering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Blue Sky Fostering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blue Sky Fostering M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Blue Sky Fostering
What does Blue Sky Fostering do?
Blue Sky Fostering is an Ofsted-rated 'Outstanding' independent fostering agency that recruits, trains, and supports foster carers across the South of England and matches them with children and young people referred by local authorities. Its core offering is a portfolio of foster care placement services — including therapeutic, young people, teenager, sibling, parent and child, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and respite placements — underpinned by a Therapeutically Led Care (TLC) model rooted in attachment theory and 24/7 carer support.
Is Blue Sky Fostering a public or private company?
Blue Sky Fostering is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Blue Sky Fostering founded?
Blue Sky Fostering was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Blue Sky Fostering based?
Blue Sky Fostering is headquartered in Harrow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Blue Sky Fostering make money?
One revenue line is on record: foster Care Placement Services.
Who are Blue Sky Fostering's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Acorn Care & Education, Action for Children and Polaris Community. Direct peers are Capstone Foster Care, National Fostering Agency, Five Rivers Child Care, Foster Care Associates, Catalyst Fostering, Calon Cymru Fostering and Nexus Fostering.
Does Blue Sky Fostering have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blue Sky Fostering.
What industry is Blue Sky Fostering in?
Blue Sky Fostering's product category is Foster Care Services / Independent Fostering Agency. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAE, Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.