Confused about going with LA or IFS

[Siannicholas1]

I just had a few questions about both of anyone could answer any of them that would be fab! We are currently leaning towards LA for the age group we would like to foster but are still a bit torn! If it helps at all we are looking to foster between the ages of 0-5, would be happy to have 2 siblings (we currently have 2 spare rooms)

1. Is it possible to foster children between the ages of 0-5 (ideally the age age I would like to foster as I currently work in a nursery and it's the age group I am confident with and have lots of experience in) from an IFS (a lot of what I've seen is it's predominantly teenagers)
   

1. Is LA allowance feesable to live on? I know you don't go into fostering for the money and trust me that is not why I'm doing it! However I still have to be able to pay the mortgage and bills for the house they will hopefully be living and being loved in!
   

1. I've read a few comments about LA not providing the best support, does anyone have example of this? I know every LA is different but it would still be quite interesting ☺️
   

1. Finally, has anyone had experience with both and if so how did you find the support, financial side of things (I.e could you pay the bills,) was there many times you weren't looking after a child etc. Any information would be fab!!
   

Thank you so much, hoping to start out fostering journey very soon 🤞🏻

[Siannicholas1]

I have no idea where I picked IFS out of 😂 I mean a private agency 😩😂

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

I think you should talk to as many people as you can. Talk to your LA and some agencies. Certainly around here children in your age range will not be placed with IFAs as they are easy to place. Because LAs are so short of money these days they only place the ones that are challenging with an agency. If they ever need to place a baby with someone in an agency as soon as a LA foster carer becomes available they move the baby to them. I'm not sure about big cities though. It might be they use agencies differently.

You will probably be told by your LA they can't guarantee a placement and they might persuade you to widen the age range you are open for and this will give you more chance of a placement.

[MerryInthechelseahotel]

Are you single? If not will one of you work to help with periods where you might not have a child.

[Sparkle211994]

(Was siannicholas1) I'm married however my husbands wage goes on the mortgage/rent we currently are in a shared ownership house so pay a mortgage and rent which isn't cheap monthly so my wage is the bills etc

[Sparkle211994]

Thank you for your response, we are definitely more swayed towards the LA, I have a phone call with them on Tuesday so going to ask lots of questions, i think I would eventually widen the age range but to start with would be more comfortable with the 0-5 age group but that's not to say that I would never go over that age group ☺️