Fosterli's Journey - About Us
Fosterli began from a place of frustration. At the time, I was working as a Fostering Social Worker, juggling the demands of completing assessments while also supporting Foster Carers who had already been approved. Again and again, I found myself feeling that the tools I was using weren’t doing the job they needed to. Assessments often missed important details. The early months after approval, when Foster Carers needed the most guidance, too often lacked the structure or support required.
It was during conversations at home, usually after long days and over cups of tea, that I started to voice these concerns to my husband, George. He doesn’t come from a social work background, but he does know how to build systems and think through problems. With his technical and business experience, and with many, many sticky notes, we began mapping out what the fostering journey could look like if it was designed with real care and clarity. That’s where Fosterli first took shape.
At the same time, we were navigating a new chapter in our personal lives. I had just had our first child and was on maternity leave between roles. Those early months were full of nappies, sleep-deprived days, and of moments stolen here and there to test ideas and see whether Fosterli could actually work. It was slow, and thoughtful, and grounded in real life. We weren’t in a rush.
Later that year, I applied for and joined the Frontline Innovation Programme. The timing was right. With the support of business coaches and sessions on planning and testing, the idea started to turn into something more concrete. I was able to speak with others who were building things too, people who understood the realities of trying to solve problems that really matter. By the end of the programme, we had enough feedback, thinking, and direction to build our first proper version of Fosterli.
Not long after, we applied to Bethnal Green Ventures (BGV) a tech-for-good investor that supports early-stage businesses working on social impact. To our delight, we were accepted. It meant funding, yes, but also a warm and open community of people trying to make a difference in everything from climate to healthcare. I joined the BGV Spring ‘25 programme and used that time to build out our MVP, the first real version of Fosterli. Alongside this we were in the final shortlist for Frontline's 2025 Innovation in Social Work Award.
This autumn, we’ll be ready to start running live assessments through the platform. It feels like a big step, but one that’s been a long time in the making. Fosterli has grown slowly and steadily, shaped by real-life experiences, honest conversations, and the belief that there is a better way to support people through the fostering journey.
We’re still learning. But we’re here and we’re ready.
