What is the difference?

[tigwig]

I posted a few days ago about fostering and am still waiting for my local authority to send me info. After doing a bit of research on the net I have found a few agencies as well. What I don't understand is how they all work. These agencies seem to pay three times the amount the local authorities do so does that mean the poor children who are in local authority care can't find foster carers to look after them because they don't pay very well? That thought upsets me! Does anyone know?

[angeldraws]

I used to work for a private fostering organisation and we took children from all over the country - basically when local authorities had no places they go to the private sector to get a temporary home for the child - it is then the local authority who pay the private sector for that place - and Yes, it is more expensive than paying a foster carer registered with the local authority - not certain why this is but perhaps it is that the private organisations are smaller, they do all their own vetting etc. and can charge what they like!

[pinktwink]

the manin difference between state and private fosreing agencies is the fees and support available. Private agencies tend to offer 24 hour support to carers. However they are not responsible for decisions in relation to the foster child that responsibility remains with social services. Having placed children with private agencies and state ones I do notice a difference. The difference depends on the private agency. Some are very good whilst others I was not so keen on their practice. The reality is there is never enough carers for children that need it and state agencies are under resourced so therefore are not able to recruit and trainnew carers at the rate needed. Therefore they rely on the private agencies