Considering adoption - advice on how agencies work

[SleepyHeadWithMessyHair]

First thread so please be gentle. We are a couple in their 40s who are considering adoption. Went to an information evening with the LA a couple years ago, but we were still having fertility treatment at the time so just got some generic questions to ask. They told us we needed to pick an agency and reading more about I still can't get my head around why they have different agencies LA, RAA, VAA. What are the advantages / disadvantages of choosing one. And if there is any that should be recommended - We live in Ipswich, Suffolk if anyone is around this area and have personal experience. Am I reducing our chances by picking the 'wrong' agency?

Ok the basics

All looked after children are the legal responsibilty of their local authority.

You also have voluntary agencies, some of whom ‘specialise’ eg for adopters of a particular faith, or ethnicity. Thats not to say you can’t adopt via them, I’m white but was approved by an agency that specialed in placing ethnic minority children.
For many reasons, agencies have formed Regional groupings, helps cross LA workings, economies of scale for training etc. But you are still approved by a single agency.
like many thingd, its about getting the right fit for you. I started with an LA, it became clear to me that despite what they said, they really weren’t on board with single adopters, it was a bit of a disaster. I’m sure other adopters had a perfectly nice time with but I didnt. So I left and went elsewhere.
Shop around, see who you feel comfortable with, who you think you can trust and look at things like post adoption support offer.

A really good place to start is joining Adoption UK and their prospective adopter zoom meet ups as they are so full of info, I found them so helpful.

The LAs and regional groups have their 'own' children to place.
The voluntary ones don't.
if you go to some more info evenings now you can pick the one that feels the best fit.

We have been on 2 info events in the last couple of weeks and done research on others and ive gone with the LA one as they felt like the right fit.
They arent a traditional LA as they work with other LA's in a sort of group. The office is 5 mins from my house so training if in person should be a doddle where the VA was a train ride away.
As others have said you get a feeling for people. You can never be 100% certain but you just have to go with your gut

Our VA is now part of a much larger RAA which includes lots of LA’s, the VA social workers know about the children in each of the LA’s so in some ways I don’t think it makes the same difference anymore? I’d really go with your gut and where you feel you’d get most support. We chose a VA because of the really strong support they continue to offer families. And at the open evening I sort of felt more at home there

Thank you all for taking the time to answer!