Local council or private fostering?

[maribella]

Hi all, I’m looking into fostering but I really don’t have a clue. I’ve found both council based and private fostering agencies, is there a huge difference? I probably sound extremely ignorant but I’m not sure who to ask! Thank you.

Where I am the main difference is that children who are more challenging or have been moved from placement to placement due to behaviour end up in private fostering. The ones in private may have been subjected to more sexual abuse or similar so will be more challenging to deal with.

Also with council bear in mind all the rules and regulations they have to follow due to government. Their main priority will be the children so if there is an issue it may not go in your favour no matter how innocent you are. The resources of councils are also stretched so you may not feel as well supported as you hoped.

You would need to weigh up the pros and cons of both. Would be worth trying to find foster carers in your area you can speak to about their own experiences with the company you want to use and your own council

Not ignorant at all, starting out is confusing.

There are pros and cons to fostering with a LA (local authority) or an IFA (Independent Fostering Agency).

IFAs give higher allowances and more support and training. However the only children that come through IFAs are ones that have not been able to be placed within the LA. This means that you are likely to be receiving referrals for teenagers, sibling groups or children with disabilities or emotional and behavioural needs. As IFAs are a last resort for LAs there could be extended periods of time where you are vacant and being self employed means you will have no money coming in at this time.

If you choose to go with the LA then you will be more likely to receive referrals for easier to place children e.g. little ones. There is less money and less support available though and your social worker (who is your port of call) could change quite frequently. You are less likely to have extended periods of vacancy but depending on how restrictive your matching criteria are then this is still possible.

Whether you place with an LA or an IFA you will never be forced to place a child. You will receive referral documents (or sometimes a phonecall if emergency) and you can make your decision based on this.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Thank you. Am I right in thinking you can also foster with the long term prospect of adoption with a child you foster?

Yes there is a foster to adopt scheme but I think this is differently run to other types of foster care. I could be completely wrong, not something I know anything about!

Foster to adopt is a process that those who have been approved as adopters can go through. This means that in cases of a baby being removed at birth the baby is placed with them as foster careers but once the plan for adoption is legally finalised they then go on to adopt.

Rarely foster carers can apply to adopt a child in their care but this is usually when the child is hard to place for adoption and the foster carers want to offer a permanent home. I wouldn’t advise entering into the role of foster carer with the anticipation that this will enable you to adopt.

You can go in for special guardianship for certain children. This means you don't have to "report" to the LA so much but you also lose out on payments as you are effectively taking them on

Local authorities aren't profiting from the children's misfortune. Most IFA's are profit making businesses.