Fostering Agency vs Local Authority?

There are many different types of fostering.  This may include brief respite care to offer a carer or parent a break, short-term foster care, for example when the plan is for the child or young person to return home, specialist foster care such as parent and child assessment placements, and long-term care providing for children and young people until they are ready for independence.  At Mosaic Foster Care, we recognise that the road to recovery for children and young people who have experienced significant trauma is long term.   Children need time to build trusting and caring relationships with their foster families and benefit from professional support offered.

Fostering is provided either by local authorities (the state) or an independent provider.

Local authorities have the lead responsibility to look after children and young people in care as their corporate parent. They will directly recruit foster parents to care for children and young people from within their catchment area.  This enables children to be placed in foster homes near their families of origin.  Local authorities can offer localised access to support groups, training and social work support.

Independent fostering agencies (IFAs) started operating in the early 1990s as a result in a shortfall of foster homes being provided by local authorities who were at the time struggling to recruit and retain foster parents.

IFAs recruit foster parents to offer homes on behalf of the local authorities through commissioning arrangements.  Although this comes at a cost to local authorities, there is still no evidence to suggest that independent foster care is a more costly option when comparing similar needs and factoring in the full cost of providing a service.

Just like local authorities, IFAs recruit, support and develop foster parents.  Since IFAs only focus on fostering, they are generally able to offer a more tailored package to foster parents.  As a therapeutic fostering agency, Mosaic Foster Care is able to offer even greater support to foster families.

Planned long-term placements only, with introductions beforehand every single time

Supervising social worker with protected caseloads of not more than 10 families including respite foster parents

Allocated therapist to every foster parent for clinical support and guidance

Local support groups facilitated by therapists

Face to face training, including advanced courses in behaviour management and therapeutic parenting for all staff and foster parents

Out of hours support staffed by support workers, social workers and management

Dedicated respite for all long-term foster parents plus additional supportive respite where needed

Support service providing support workers for children, youth clubs and holiday activities

Therapeutic assessment of all foster children to guide interventions and care

Minimum of quarterly safeguarding reviews of each child to ensure that everyone feels and is kept safe

Full participation of foster parents in all Mosaic meetings as recognised and respected members of the professional team.

Professional salary and child allowance that recognizes the specialist care being provided

Opportunities to develop and get involved in other aspects of the service including support, training and recruitment.

Significantly improved outcomes for children evidenced through therapeutic assessment, treatment and trauma recovery

Unparalleled support for children, carers and even external professionals such at teachers

Proactive safeguarding approach including live ongoing risk assessments, monitoring and action plans

Placement stability – e.g. no children went missing in 2018, majority of children permanently linked to their foster parents

Children report that they feel safe and happy and that they are a part of their foster family

Local authorities trust our service implicitly

We retain staff and carers, no staff leavers in last 2 years

We don’t compromise our model (ever)