LA's in the west midlands

[queststarz]

Hi
I am doing a bit of research on fostering, hoping to apply later in the year. Not sure yet whether to go IFA or LA, will be giving up work to do this, so need to be able to pay the bills etc, but its something I really want to do.

Anyway I live in West mids and have a choice of LA's to look at. B'ham, Solihull, Worcestershire, Warwickshre etc. Wondered if anyone had any experience of these good or bad?
Thanks

I have fostered for 2 LA and would recommend you register with an IFA because they generally offer beter training and more on going support.
I'm not sure which of these cover your area, but friends work for fostering solutions, foster care associates and compass, all very good.
LA pay around £200 per chid per week plus expenses.
IFA pay £400 upwards per child per week all inclusive. So it may be easier to budget if you know exactly how much you will have coming in, although you can never guarantee continuity of placements.
IFA will generally have more challenging children that cannot be placed in house but this is not always the case. Because there is such a shortage of foster carers you may be offered placements with few behavioral problems.

queststarz - as far as LA fostering goes, avoid Birmingham. They are in a mess, incredibly short staffed and under resourced in every way. Not the fault of the sws it's just how it is. I think Solihull is ok and I worked for Worcestershire as a sw and tm mgr of a fostering & adoption team for 25 years and so I am going to be biased towards them. Don't know anything about Warwickshire. Incidentally I would avoid Wolverhampton for the same reasons as B'Ham.

As "fostering" says IFAs pay more, but of course it is the LA that pays because the IFAs charge very high fees and yes they pay their carers more, but they also cream off huge profits for themselves, making cash strapped LAs even worse off. LAs have to use IFAs because of the shortage of in house foster placements and have no option but to pay these enormous fees. IFA carers say that the children get better support, which of course they do, but again it is the LA that is paying for all this support. I know IFA managers who drive Porches and one who has a tring of race horses. Of course it is encouraged by all governments as they love privatisation.

The other thing is that with an IFA you could have a child placed from anywhere in the country, whereas with the LA you know it will be a child from within that authority, or very occasionally a neighbouring authority. Imagine a child who lives in Cornwall being placed in Dundee, and having to travel miles and miles for contact etc.

The last para of "fostering's" post is true. I am now retired but I hear from colleagues that more and more placemens are IFA plcts as there are not enough in house plcts. It is a wonder to me that there are still loyal people with integrity who foster for the LA rather than choose to line the pockets of these entrepeneurs, and don't be fooled by the "not for profit" ones - they are all in it for profit.

Worcestershire used to be excellent, but I think things have changed for many LAs in the past few years with greater staff shortages, and all of the facing massive cuts this year.

Do remember that you won't be guaranteed placements 52 weeks of the year, though it does depend on what age range you are thinking of - but even then there is no guarantee of being kept in placements, though the demand far outstrips supply.

Good luck whichever way you go.

And also that LA's are doing a major recruitment drive to get more Foster Carers on board so that they don't have to pay these huge fees to the IFA's.

We were told that the SW's have been told to move as many back 'in house' as possible purely for financial reasons - sad but true.

I certainly wouldn't look at any small IFA as I don't think they'll last too much longer.

We are more than happy we decided to go with our LA and only had to wait 9 days for our first placement. The support we have had so far is excellent too - but I know that is not always the case, depending on which LA you go with.

Good luck

I am registered with a LA and fortunately do not depend on the allowances but it is sad that a carer and a child placed with an IFA receives a better package of support.

If the LA has to pay an extra £2000 a week to place with an IFA then why on earth don't they look to support foster carers and children who are registered with them!

p99gmb - some friends who work for IFA including one who has a related degree say that all fostering will be privatised sooner or later so I'm uncertain about the smaller IFA's going out of business.

I think it costs £8000 to recruit a foster carer so it seems mad that LA's don't recruit SW's that can support them properly. Also, SW that can write a report and use spell check would be nice.

NinaNana - Is there a LA that could be used as a good model for children's servics? Then their procedures could be rolled out across the country? A happy team of carers must make a good children's service. Although actually SW's are also leaving LA's to work in IFA's not just foster carers!