Fostering Agencies

Guide to Foster Care - Part Four

There are hundreds of fostering agencies throughout the UK. But what are they and what do they do? Here’s a quick outline of what they are, how they differ from each other, and the role they play in the foster care system.

Local authorities are responsible for all public services and facilities in their area. The welfare of children in care also generally lies with them. In the past, they have been solely responsible for providing fostering services.

Each local authority has to identify children whose needs can be best met by foster care. They then try to find suitable foster placements for those children, which isn’t always easy. This is done through the use of fostering agencies.

enjoy the FCM Top Ten

Receive the 10 best pieces of content we find about fostering each month.

What Are Fostering Agencies?

Fostering agencies are set up by local authorities, companies, or charities, and provide a range of fostering services. You will also hear them referred to as fostering service providers, foster agencies, and foster care agencies.

All foster agencies face regular scrutiny by their respective government’s inspectorate body and are subject to fostering regulations. These are set out by Ofsted in England, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, and the Care and Social Services Inspectorate in Wales.

Agencies have to register before they can operate. Anyone who wants to open one must show how they meet specific legal requirements. That includes meeting the National Minimum Standards for fostering services – which focus on delivering achievable outcomes for children.

Types of Fostering Agencies

There are three main types of foster care agencies:

Local Authority Adoption and Fostering Agencies

These usually operate from within their local authority departments and provide a full range of fostering services. Unfortunately, they have historically found it difficult to recruit enough foster carers and often rely on the help of independent fostering agencies.

Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs)

An independent fostering agency is a voluntary or private organisation that works closely with local authorities to meet the high demands placed on care services. Their introduction in the 1990s has helped to meet the increasing demand for fostering services and has enriched the choice of foster placements. But it hasn’t solved the shortage of foster carers.

Voluntary Adoption and Fostering Agencies

Voluntary fostering agencies are another type of independent agency. They include children’s charities and organisations that have charitable status. Like other IFAs they tend to cross local authority boundaries. So they often cover a larger geographical area than local authority agencies.

What Do Fostering Agencies Do?

Most agencies deliver mainstream foster care (the provision of short or long-term placements), while some also offer specialist services. These specialist services include things like parenting assessments and contact supervision. Some agencies also specialise in particular types of foster care.

To be in a position to provide fostering services, agencies have to recruit, assess, and approve foster carers. They are then responsible for training, supervising and supporting them throughout their fostering journey.

Choosing a Fostering Agency

If you’re interested in fostering children, you have to apply to a foster agency. You can only work with one at a time, so it’s important to choose the right one. The Government recommends contacting several when you first look into fostering because they’re not all the same.

Some agencies specialise in certain types of fostering; some are more innovative than others. Training opportunities, support, pay and conditions will also vary from one agency to another.

Local Authority VS Independent Fostering Agency

Should You Foster with a Local Authority or an Independent Fostering Agency?

All fostering service providers vary, so it’s difficult to generalise but there are some differences between fostering with a local authority and an independent agency. Those differences can include:

The needs of children fostered through independent agencies are often more complex.
The age of children fostered through independent foster care agencies is often higher.
Foster care payments are often higher when you foster with an independent fostering agency.
Independent agencies usually cover a wider geographical area than local authority agencies.
The level of practical support can be higher with independent foster care agencies.
Local authorities often have a lower supervising social worker to foster carer ratio.

Changing Your Foster Care Agency

If you’re a foster carer, there may come a time when you want to change your foster agency. You might want to try a different type of fostering, not provided by your agency. You might want the opportunity to follow a more structured career path. You may just be moving location.

Some organisations specialise in helping foster carers change fostering agency. But it does involve going through the assessment and approval process again.

Fostering Agencies is the 4th part of our 6-part Guide to Foster Care. Part 5 looks at Children In Foster Care.

If you found this helpful, share it with others on your favourite networks…