Horizon agency?

[justhayley]

Hello,
Message on behalf of my mum. Shes just been approved as a foster carer with Horizon (private agency) in north London).
Has anyone worked for them or know anything about them good or bad?

Thank you

Can't help sorry, just bumping for you

Thanks for the bump

I think that the important thing is that your mum understands that IFAs (Independent Fostering Agency) do not actually have any children to place. They have to "sell" their foster carers to the LA, and the LA will only "buy" a foster carer from an IFA when they have absolutely none of their own foster carers who can take a child needing placement.

IFAs charge significant sums of money from the LA for the "sale" of their family, and they do pay their carers more than LA foster carers get. Also as there is a national shortage of foster carers, your mum could be asked to take a placement from anywhere in the country and this will make contact between the child and their birthparents very difficult.

I don't think many IFAs actually explain to their carers how things work, and many IFA carers don't realise that it is actually the LA who pay the IFA, and their own fostering allowances, and anything else that the child needs.

I don't know anything about this particular IFA but they all operate in a similar way. Some of them say they are "not-for-profit" organisations but all this means is that they don't pay shareholders, but it doesn't stop them taking huge salaries for themselves of course. I know of directors of IFAs who have accumulated an enormous amount of wealth through their IFAs.

Hiya, thanks for your reply that's really interesting, will pass your Info onto mum, not sure what she does & doesn't no to be honest.
I certainly didn't know that in essence agencies are just middle men - don't really see the need for them, but fostering isn't something I know too much about anyway.
Thanks again,
Appreciate your reply x

Know what you mean Nana Nina have had run aways from agency's who also have children's homes turn up on the doorstep wanting a bed, talk quite freely of the bosses expensive Bentley and other cars.

Know what you mean Nana Nina have had run aways from agency's who also have children's homes turn up on the doorstep wanting a bed, talk quite freely of the bosses expensive Bentley and other cars.