Fostering a child or young person is a hugely rewarding thing you can do. It’s a journey that offers the chance to make a lasting difference, and the opportunity to support their growth and create a better future for them.
Deciding to foster is a big decision, but then there’s the question of who to foster with?
why foster with your local authority?
One reason to choose to foster with your local authority is that we are not-for-profit. We work with the sole goal of improving the lives of vulnerable children. Every decision we make is based on what’s best for the child and their future, and not ways of making profit. Read more about the Eliminating Profit bill actioned by the Welsh Government here.
By fostering with your local authority, you become part of a network commited to providing quality, compassionate care for children. The support you’ll receive is tailored to your needs as a carer, ensuring you feel equipped, empowered, and supported throughout the fostering process.
But don’t just take our word for it! Two of our wonderful foster carers in RCT, Tor and Tim, used to foster with an independent agency, but chose to transfer to us.
Hear what they had to say:
“We started fostering in 2015. We fostered with a commercial fostering agency for six years. And then transferred to our local authority. It was really not what we were expecting.
Choosing to foster with Foster Wales was the best decision we’ve ever made.”
benefits of fostering with your local authority
Fostering with your local authority also means joining a wider community of carers who share your dedication in helping children. You’re not just a foster carer – you’re part of a network of individuals, families and staff who are all working to the same common goal. Creating better futures for local children.
“Previously, we’d always cared for older children.
When we started fostering through our local authority, we started caring for a younger girl – something we’d never done before. But the help we received was so refreshing.
Our social worker was, and still is, always at the end of the phone. And, there’s a proper fostering community here.
Now, we know more people who are foster carers than ever before, because our local authority helps to bring us together. We’ve even got our own WhatsApp group.
We really look after each other.” – Tim & Tor
It’s this sense of community that often makes the experience even more rewarding. The friendships and bonds formed with other foster carers, and social workers, can be incredibly valuable, both for you as a foster carer and for the children you care for.
keeping foster children local
Stability is crucial in a child’s development. When you foster with your local authority, you’re helping to keep children in their local area, maintaining connections with their school, friends, and support networks. Staying close to their roots can provide the consistency and familiarity they need during a challenging time.
In fact, last year, 85% of young people with local authority foster carers remained in their local area. Whereas only 31% of young people cared for by commercial fostering agencies stayed local, with 7% being moved outside of Wales entirely.
When children remain in an area familiar to them, they are less likely to experience disruptions in their education, friendships, or extracurricular activities. Things that are so important to them, especially when their home life is less stable.
the impact of fostering with your local authority
You won’t be alone in your fostering journey. Whether it’s emotional support, practical help, or access to additional services, your local authority and our fostering community will be there every step of the way.
“Honestly, I don’t know where we’d be without our local authority, our local fostering community – and of course, our foster children.
They have truly changed our lives.” – Tim & Tor
make a difference in a child’s life
Fostering with your local authority is more than just offering a child or young person a place to stay – it’s about making a lasting impact on their life, and ensuring they receive the care, love and support they need to thrive. The difference you could make as a foster carer is truly something special.
If you’ve been considering fostering, why not take the first step?
We have information sessions and pop-ups if you’d like to learn a little more, or you can contact us here.
