Foster Wales vs Independent Fostering Agency: Which Is Right for You?

One of the first decisions you face as a prospective foster carer in Wales is which route to take: Foster Wales (your local authority) or an independent fostering agency (IFA). Both lead through the same approval process. Both are regulated by Care Inspectorate Wales. The differences show up in who supervises you once you are approved, which children you are matched with, and how the financial support is structured.

This is not a comparison anyone on either side will give you neutrally. Here is an honest account of both.

What Foster Wales Is

Foster Wales is not a single organisation — it is the unified brand for all 22 Welsh local authority fostering services. Each local authority (Cardiff, Swansea, Gwynedd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and so on) runs its own fostering team, but they operate under shared branding, shared standards, and a shared recruitment strategy.

The Welsh Government has put deliberate policy weight behind Foster Wales. Under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and subsequent planning, there is a clear drive to move care placements away from for-profit provision and back toward local authority or voluntary sector services. In practical terms, this means local authority carers get first priority when a placement is being arranged. If a local Foster Wales carer is available and suitable, the child goes there. An IFA is approached only if no LA carer can be found.

What IFAs Offer

Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) are private or voluntary organisations that recruit and support their own carers, then "place" children with them on behalf of local authorities. Major IFAs operating in Wales include:

• Compass Fostering Cymru
• Family Fostering Partners
• Barnardo's Cymru
• Action for Children Wales
• National Fostering Agency Wales

IFAs tend to specialise. They are more likely to recruit for therapeutic placements, sibling groups, older children, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children — categories where specialist skills command specialist support.

The Key Differences

The Financial Picture

The belief that IFAs always pay more than local authorities is outdated. Under the Foster Wales National Commitment, all 22 local authorities are required to provide a consistent package that includes skills fees, birthday and Christmas payments, holiday allowances, and mileage.

Some LA carers in South Wales report that when all enhancements are included, their total package matches or exceeds what local IFAs offer. IFAs sometimes have higher base rates for specialist therapeutic placements — but standard placements with an IFA do not automatically come with higher pay.

When comparing financial packages, ask both sides for the complete picture:

• The weekly allowance (must meet or exceed the national minimum)
• The skills fee
• Additional payments (birthday, holiday, clothing, mileage)
• Whether fee levels increase with experience and qualifications

The "Eliminate Profit" Direction

The Welsh Government's position on for-profit care is not ambiguous. Policy is moving toward ensuring that public money spent on looked-after children is reinvested into services rather than paid out as profit. Several Welsh councils have already taken steps to reduce their reliance on IFAs.

This does not mean IFAs are about to disappear — demand for placements exceeds LA capacity, and IFAs fill that gap. But it does mean that the long-term policy direction in Wales favours the LA route. If you plan to foster for many years, the LA structure is more stable.

Which Is Better for You?

The answer depends on what you want from fostering.

Choose Foster Wales if:

• You want to care for local children who can stay in their community
• You value being integrated with the child's social work team
• You want the most stable, long-term role in the Welsh system
• You prefer a not-for-profit ethos

Consider an IFA if:

• You have specialist therapeutic or clinical skills and want placements that match them
• You want a more personalised support structure and do not mind the trade-off of lower placement priority
• You have researched a specific IFA with a strong track record in Wales and want what they specifically offer

There is no wrong answer. Plenty of excellent carers work with IFAs. The point is to make the choice with clear information rather than the assumption that IFAs are more supportive or LA is more bureaucratic — both can be either, depending on the specific team.

Questions to Ask Before You Decide

If you are at the stage of speaking with agencies, these questions will help you compare them properly:

For a Foster Wales local authority:

• What is your current average time from approval to first placement?
• What does your fee structure look like for a newly approved carer, and how does it progress with experience?
• Who will be my Supervising Social Worker, and how often will we meet?
• What does your respite offer look like for carers in long-term placements?

For an IFA:

• What placement priority agreement do you have with Welsh local authorities?
• Where are most of your children placed from, and would I typically care for local children?
• How is your training delivered — locally or at a central office?
• How do you handle the transition if the Welsh Government's "eliminate profit" policy affects your operation in Wales?

No agency will penalise you for asking any of these questions. An agency that cannot answer them clearly is worth treating cautiously.

The Wales Fostering Approval Guide covers the differences between Foster Wales and IFAs in detail, including how to evaluate an agency during your initial enquiry and what questions to ask before you commit. The approval process is the same either way — what differs is the working relationship that follows.

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