2025 Fostering Agency Reccomendations? Ely,Cambs?

[SKLC]

Hi I just want to get a better idea of options if I was to go into fostering.

May I ask what agencies people have had good experiences with and which they'd avoid? I'm in Ely, Cambridgeshire area. I read a lot about Compass being good but would like more up to date reccomendations rather than most the things I'm reading that are years old.

Am just looking at the differences, I haven't ruled out the Local Council, but I read that there's a lot better support via agencies, mind correct me if this is wrong, it's just what I keep reading.

I want to do as much research as I can, am contemplating moving house to enable me to foster but no decisions have been made yet as we are currently going through affordability checks and might be a bit short to enable a move.

I have been thinking about fostering for the past 5 years or so, stems from working at a nursery when I was younger and how much I enjoyed working with the children. My daughter is grown up now and has her own house. I’m live in Hampshire have two spare bedrooms and am
on the mailing list for the local council and am considering doing there first set of courses before starting to look at maybe respite care ( the odd weekend or so ) to start out with. I work a full time corporate job but have been advised that it’s still doable. I’ve just had surgery this week so I’ll be looking at joining the course in the new year. Maybe try your local council to find out what they have in the way of introductory training?