Independent Fostering Agency vs Local Authority: What's the Difference?

If you’re thinking about becoming a foster carer, one of your first decisions is which fostering service to approach.

In England, you can apply through a local authority fostering service or an independent fostering agency (IFA). Both recruit, assess, approve and support foster carers — but they work in slightly different ways, and the right choice depends on what suits you and your family, not just whether you’d rather work with a council or an agency.

What Is Local Authority Fostering?

A local authority fostering service is run by a council. Councils are responsible for children in care in their area and work to find them suitable homes.

Foster through a local authority and you’ll generally care for children who are that council’s responsibility. One advantage: the fostering team and the child’s social care team sit within the same organisation.

Local authorities need carers for children of all ages and backgrounds, including teenagers, sibling groups and children with additional needs.

What Is an Independent Fostering Agency?

An independent fostering agency (IFA) is a separate organisation that recruits, approves and supports foster carers, working in partnership with local authorities.

When a council can’t make a suitable match from its own carers, it can approach an IFA instead. Because an IFA often works with several local authorities rather than just one, its carers may be considered for children across a wider area — though every placement is still matched carefully.

IFAs must be registered with, and inspected by, Ofsted, against the national minimum standards for fostering services. You can check any agency’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.

Are the Requirements Different?

Not really. The core expectations are broadly the same whether you apply to a local authority or an independent fostering agency.

Both will assess whether you can provide safe, stable, appropriate care, typically covering:

DBS and background checks
Medical checks
Personal and professional references
Home visits
Discussions about your relationships and support network
An assessment of your experience, lifestyle and motivation
Preparation training
A recommendation via a fostering panel

Neither route is an easier way to get approved — both exist to make sure fostering is right for your household and safe for any child placed with you.

What Are the Main Differences?

The details depend on the individual providers you compare, but a few areas are worth exploring.

The Children You May Care For

A local authority usually looks first within its own group of approved carers. If it can’t find a match, it may turn to an IFA, which can receive enquiries from several councils.

This doesn’t mean one route offers more placements than the other — your availability, approval terms, skills and location all affect what you’re considered for. Ask each provider what type of fostering is most needed in your area: short-term, long-term, emergency, respite, or care for teenagers or siblings.

Size and Structure

Local authority fostering teams sit within a larger council structure, with established links to children’s services. Independent agencies vary in size — some operate nationally, others are small and regional.

A smaller IFA may offer a closer-knit community, though size alone won’t tell you much. The real question is whether you feel known, listened to and supported.

Training and Specialist Support

Every foster carer needs preparation and ongoing development, but the specifics vary by provider. Some offer therapeutic input, education support, online training or specialist guidance; others structure things differently.

Rather than just asking how much training is offered, ask:

Which courses are included
Whether training runs in the evenings or online
What specialist support is available
How new carers are prepared for their first placement
Whether other household members can attend relevant training
How your ongoing development will be planned

Day-to-Day Support

This is one of the most important things to compare. Fostering is rewarding, but there will be difficult moments too, so it matters who you can call, how quickly help arrives, and what happens outside office hours.

Worth asking about:

Your supervising social worker and how often they’ll visit
Out-of-hours support
Support during difficult placements
Help with education and therapeutic needs
Support groups and chances to meet other carers
Respite or short-break arrangements
Support after a placement ends
Guidance during allegations or complaints

Both local authorities and independent agencies can provide excellent support — what matters is the consistency of the specific service.

Allowances and Fees

Foster carers receive an allowance to cover the cost of caring for a child, and depending on the provider and your experience, potentially a professional fee too.

Payment structures vary considerably, so ask for a clear written breakdown — including whether payments change with a child’s age, placement type, or your experience, and what happens between placements. Money shouldn’t be the only factor, but it’s worth comparing the full package rather than one headline weekly figure.

Our guide How Much do Foster Carers Get Paid? covers this in more detail.

Is an Independent Fostering Agency Better Than a Local Authority?

Neither is automatically better. A local authority might suit someone who wants to be directly connected to their council and care mainly for children from that area. An independent fostering agency might suit someone looking for a smaller organisation, particular specialist services, or a provider working across several councils.

These aren’t guaranteed differences, though — individual providers vary widely, so the quality of the specific service matters more than its category. Speak to more than one fostering provider, and pay attention to how clearly they answer your questions.

Questions to Ask a Fostering Provider

A good service should be comfortable answering detailed questions before you apply:

What types of placements are most commonly needed?
Which areas do you cover?
What support is available outside office hours?
How often will I see my supervising social worker?
What training and specialist support do you provide?
How are carers matched with children?
How are allowances and fees calculated?
Are any payments made between placements?
Can I speak to one of your existing foster carers?
What support is available to my own children or other household members?
What does your latest Ofsted report say?

Can I Apply to More Than One Fostering Service?

You can have initial conversations with more than one provider while researching your options — that’s a sensible way to compare. You can’t be approved with more than one fostering service at once, though existing carers can transfer, following an agreed process that protects any children already in their care.

There’s no need to start a full assessment before you understand the organisation. Your relationship with a fostering service can last years, so it’s worth taking your time.

Fostering With Foundation Fostering

Foundation Fostering is a small, independent fostering agency based in Worcester, supporting foster carers and children across Worcestershire, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.

Our carers are part of a wider professional team, with ongoing training and support from social work, education and therapeutic professionals. Being independent doesn’t mean working apart from local authorities — we work alongside councils to find the right families for children who need them.

If you’re weighing up a local authority against an independent fostering agency in the West Midlands, you’re welcome to ask us how we work. An initial conversation is just a chance to learn more — it doesn’t commit you to applying.

FAQs

Are foster carers with an IFA employed, self-employed, or something else?

Foster carers aren’t classed as employees of either a local authority or an IFA — allowances and fees are usually treated differently for tax purposes than a salary. Because rules can vary and change, it’s worth asking your provider for guidance and checking with HMRC or an accountant rather than assuming.

If my local authority reduces how much it uses IFAs, could that affect me as an IFA carer?

It could affect how many placement enquiries you receive, since IFAs depend partly on councils choosing to place children with them. It’s a fair question to raise with any IFA — ask how many local authorities they work with and how stable those relationships are.

Can I apply to an IFA if a local authority has previously turned down my application?

Possibly, depending on the reason. Some households aren’t right for one provider’s current needs but would suit another’s, so a previous decision elsewhere isn’t automatically a barrier — though any provider will want to understand why an earlier application didn’t proceed.

Does my approval transfer if I move to a different part of the country?

Not automatically. Moving house usually means a fresh assessment of your new home, even if your existing approval and experience count in your favour. This is worth asking about if you think you might relocate during your time as a foster carer.

Is the approval panel different between a local authority and an IFA?

Both use an independent fostering panel to review applications and make recommendations, and both must follow the same regulations. The panel members and administrative process will differ by provider, so it’s reasonable to ask who sits on the panel and how often it meets.

Weighing up a fostering agency or council?

Get in touch with Foundation Fostering for a friendly, no-obligation conversation about fostering in Birmingham, Worcester and across the West Midlands.

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