Lots of people we meet don’t realise you have lots of choices when it comes to fostering. One of the biggest is who you become a foster carer with. There are two options – local authority or independent fostering agency (IFA) and then there’s lots of different IFA’s to choose from.
What’s the difference between an IFA and local authority?
Local Authority foster carers work directly with the Local Authority, whilst IFA carers are supported and trained by their individual agencies. At Cuffe and Lacey we provide all training and ongoing support for our foster carers.
All children are looked after by the Local Authority. We receive referrals from the local authority for children who need to live with foster carers and we are proud to work closely with them to ensure we find the best matches for children and families. It’s always your decision who comes to live with you, and we will get to know you really well so that we know what might work.
Both IFA’s and Local Authorities are inspected by Ofsted and work to the same regulations and standards. We’re proud to be Ofsted Outstanding.
How do I decide?
Deciding who to foster with is a really big decision. Of course, we think we’re the best choice (we might be a bit biased!), but there’s lots of things to consider when choosing. Some of the big things we suggest people think about are –
- Where is the agency based and how can they support you. We’re a family run agency, based in the North West of England. We support carers in the North West and Cumbria.
- How big is the agency/local authority and what does that mean – We are a small team which means you will get to know our whole team. This means whoever you speak to will be a familiar face which can be really useful when you need support.
- What kind of service would you like to receive? We want to create a personal, family feel for our foster carers, however we also have the knowledge and experience to back this up. We’re proud to advocate for our children and foster carers when needed.
It’s good to meet with people you are considering fostering with and get a feel for how they work.
Are IFA’s privately owned organisations?
Whilst IFA’s are private companies, we are proud to be an organisation that puts our children and foster carers above profit making. We are not part of a larger organisation, and work solely with our carers and the local authority to make sure the children we look after receive the very best care. We always make sure our placement prices and payments to foster carers are fair and allow for the best care and support.
Why choose Cuffe and Lacey?
- A personal, friendly team with years of experience
- Full training
- 24/7 support 365 days a year
- Competitive foster carer pay
- Regular events to meet other carers
So where should I start?
We always suggest starting with a free, friendly visit to answer any questions you might have. We hope to make everyone feel welcome and would love to have a chat. You can give us a call on 01253 542 678 or fill in our enquiry page to get started. We hope to speak with you soon!