What is the real difference between fostering with an agency and the council?
We explore the differences between fostering with an independent agency and the local authority, to help you determine which option is more suitable for your family.
If you’re new to fostering, you may be trying to decide whether to join your local authority or an independent fostering agency.
Although both options serve the same purpose – to provide safe, stable, and nurturing homes for vulnerable children and young people – there are a few differences between the two. From fostering allowances and benefits to training and support, join us as we explore these differences to help you determine which option is more suitable for your family.
Independent fostering agencies vs local authority
What are independent fostering agencies?
Local authorities used to be solely responsible for recruiting foster parents and placing children with foster families. However, in the late 1980s, they could no longer keep up with the demand for foster parents, so independent fostering agencies were established to fulfil the ever-growing need.
Today, without fostering agencies, local authorities would struggle to find enough dedicated foster parents to meet the increasing demand. It would also be more challenging for teenagers, sibling groups, and young people with disabilities to find homes suited to their needs. This is because they often require foster parents capable of providing specialised care, and fostering agencies typically offer more in-depth training to ensure they're equipped to do so.
What is the role of your local authority?
Whether you choose to foster with your local authority or a fostering agency, your local authority will still play a role. Local authorities have a legal duty to safeguard children and young people living in their communities, including those living in foster care.
The local authority will identify children and young people who need a foster home and work alongside independent fostering agencies to find the right foster family that will best meet their needs - this is known as the matching process.
Once a child has been matched with a foster family, the local authority and independent fostering agency will continue to work together to ensure the child has the best possible outcomes.
Fostering agency or local authority?
Whether you decide to foster through your local council or with an independent fostering agency like us here at Fosterplus, you’ll receive training, support, and a fostering allowance.
However, independent fostering agencies often have more resources, enhancing the fostering experience. Here are some of the key differences between the two.
Support
Whether you foster with your local authority or a fostering agency, you’ll receive support as standard. However, with an independent agency, social workers often have a lower turnover and can manage smaller caseloads. This means fostering agencies are able to offer more frequent contact with foster families through visits and phone calls, allowing for more consistent support.
At Fosterplus, we know that well-supported foster parents create more stable and nurturing homes, ensuring matches last and children and young people have the childhood they deserve. That’s why, when you foster with us, you’ll receive reliable, local support whenever needed. Here is a glance at what you can expect when you foster with Fosterplus:
- Dedicated social worker: Your dedicated social worker will really get to know you and your family, ensuring everyone feels happy, understood, and valued. They’ll provide regular supervision, guidance and advice, connecting you with further support and services if and when needed.
- Regular support groups: We help you build your support network by hosting regular support groups for foster parents. These groups provide an opportunity to share experiences, exchange advice, and make lifelong friends.
- We’re here for you 24/7: Fostering is a 24/7 role, so if you need support, you'll be able to connect with a member of the team, day or night. You’ll also have access to a library of resources through our online portal, which you can access at any time.
- We listen to our foster parents: Our management team is friendly, experienced and open, always welcoming feedback and ideas to improve our services.
- Support for children in care: Sometimes, children need a little extra support, so you’ll have access to an education advisor and therapeutic services to support their development. Our support for children in foster care also includes a dedicated helpline, our young person's hub, fun activities and events, and additional support for young people leaving care to help them build essential skills for independence.
- Support for children who foster: We support your whole family, including your own children. We provide a range of resources to help them understand what fostering means, alongside hosting support groups and activities specifically for children who foster. This allows them to build friendships with other children from similar family setups who truly understand their experiences.
Training
While local authorities offer their own training, when you foster with a fostering agency, they can often provide higher-level training that will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to care for children of all ages and needs.
At Fosterplus, our foster care training is personalised, enabling you to meet the unique needs of the children in your care and tailor training to you and your family. We understand that foster parents have busy lives, so our training is flexible. With a combination of in-person, virtual, and evening training sessions, you can schedule training courses around your commitments.
We are dedicated to your professional growth and personal development, offering training in three stages:
- Stage one:
Initial training. During your assessment, you’ll complete our Prepare to Foster training, which provides insight into what it’s like to be a foster parent and a child in care. You’ll learn why children move into care, your role and responsibilities as a foster parent and how to support your own children while fostering. You’ll also be introduced to topics such as safeguarding, child development, and child behaviour, providing a foundation to build on once you’re approved. - Stage two:
Mandatory training. Once you’re an approved foster parent, you’ll complete our mandatory training. From First Aid and Safer Caring to PRICE and a deeper look at child behaviour and psychology, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills needed to fully support the children in your care. - Stage three:
Specialist training. Whether you have a child in your care with specific needs or simply want to enhance your knowledge and skill set, we offer an extensive programme of specialist courses. These courses enable you to continuously grow in your role and cover topics such as Understanding Neurodiversity, Mental Health Awareness, and Well-being.
Fostering allowances
Independent fostering agencies tend to offer higher fostering allowances than local authorities. For example, at Fosterplus, we ensure that our foster parents feel financially secure by providing a fostering allowance that ranges from £19,193 to £29,778 per child per year, dependent on area and type of fostering. This is typically tax-free due to special tax allowances for foster parents.
In addition to this generous fostering allowance, you’ll receive a range of exclusive perks that benefit your whole family, including:
- Additional allowance per child per year to spend on their birthday.
- Additional allowance per child per year to spend on religious celebrations.
- £600 holiday allowance per year in Scotland or up to two weeks of paid respite care in England, allowing you to take a break to rest and recharge if and when needed.
- Access to our foster parent rewards platform, which offers a variety of discounts on days out, groceries, household bills, holidays and more.
- Access to our refer-a-friend scheme, where you’ll receive a £3000 bonus for every friend you successfully recommend to Fosterplus.
Matching
Local authorities only place children within their own communities. However, when you foster with an independent fostering agency like us, we work with multiple local authorities. This not only increases referrals but also allows us to choose from a larger community of foster parents, ensuring children and young people are placed with the right family. This leads to stronger and more stable foster families, benefiting children and young people by reducing the likelihood of multiple home moves.
At Fosterplus, we are leaders in the matching process and have seen first-hand the positive impact stable homes have on the outcomes for children and young people in care. Our referral teams are dedicated to matching children with the right families by getting to know you and considering your family dynamics, experience and preferences, alongside the child or young person’s physical, emotional, and cultural needs. By having the chance to really get to know each foster family, we are able to succeed with matching children effectively.
We’ll never pressure you into agreeing to a match that doesn’t feel right for your family, collaborating with you throughout the process. In fact, our matching process is so successful that we have a low rate of ‘unplanned endings,’ and many of our foster parents provide long-term and Staying Put care because they’re matched so well.
Strengthening communities
You can also benefit from helping to develop local communities by fostering with an independent agency such as Fosterplus, due to the additional resources we are able to put back in to provide new services and facilities within local areas.
Our community has helped to build new schools, specialist education facilities, and residential homes, helping children and young people access the support they need.
These services enrich the lives of children and young people across the UK, and we are proud of the work we do in developing these.
Ready to start your fostering journey?
If you’re ready to start your fostering journey and still can’t decide whether to foster with your local authority or an independent fostering agency like Fosterplus, please get in touch. Our friendly team can provide further insight into the differences between the two and help you make an informed decision.
No matter which option you choose, you’ll change the lives of children and young people in care by providing them with a safe, stable and nurturing home where they can reach their full potential.
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