Fostering is undeniably an amazing opportunity for anyone who has a big heart and a spare bedroom and when you become a foster carer, you can offer some of the most disadvantaged children a safe environment to stay in. There are so many children and young people in the care system who need support and guidance, and you can provide them with this.
One of the first steps to becoming a foster carer is finding a fostering agency to apply through and there are lots of different agencies to choose from nowadays. As you may expect, not all fostering agencies are made equal and more often than not, independent agencies like Fostering UK are the best to turn to when you’re wanting to start your fostering journey. Below we have looked into some of the main reasons why this is the case.
They won’t be solely focused on making money
Unfortunately, there are a number of fostering agencies that are owned by private equity companies and they are often created with the sole aim of making money. However, this isn’t the intention of independent agencies and they will be focused on providing children with the opportunity to live happy and fulfilling lives. Working with a fostering agency that has the right ethos is so important and you can turn to independent agencies in confidence in this regard.
They will provide you with ongoing support and guidance
Anyone who is new to fostering will undeniably require training, support and advice to ensure that they’re doing all they can for the young person in their care, and not all agencies provide this. Thankfully, many independent agencies work closely with their foster carers, ensuring they are getting all of the guidance they need at every stage of their fostering journey. As an independent agency, here at Fostering UK we provide training programmes and 24/7 support to help you deal with tricky situations and do right by the children you care for.
They are committed to placing children in the right environment
There are so many types of foster placements and not every foster carer will be able to care for all of the different children in the care system. It is a fostering agency’s job to ensure that they’re placing foster children into the right homes and this is an essential part of any foster process. Lots of independent fostering agencies take pride in their solid matching process and they will ensure that you’re only asked to care for children you’re trained and equipped to look after.
They offer opportunities to meet other foster families
Having the chance to meet other foster carers, share your experiences and learn from those in similar situations to you is really beneficial and being part of a fostering community is invaluable to foster carers. Here at Fostering UK, like some other independent fostering agencies, we go the extra mile and provide foster carers with a membership to the Fostering Network. Integrating with other foster carers in the local area and attending organised events throughout the year for foster families will help you to be the best foster carer that you can be.
They will ensure fostering is as enjoyable as possible
It goes without saying that foster care can be really challenging, but it can also be rewarding and extremely fun too, yet not all fostering agencies help you to enjoy the experience of fostering. When you work with an independent agency, they will be dedicated to the wellbeing of you, your family and the children you care for. At Fostering UK, we even fund a holiday a year for our foster families, giving them the chance to spend some really positive time together.
Finding independent fostering agencies in Cambridge
Ultimately, when you’re wanting to become a foster carer, it is so important to ensure that you’re finding the right agency to work with. There are so many advantages to turning to an independent fostering agency to guide you through your fostering journey and here at Fostering UK, we will gladly assist you as you start your application process to become a foster carer.
As an independent fostering agency in Cambridge and Cambridgeshire, we aim to provide committed, empathetic and knowledgeable foster carers to local authorities throughout the UK, and we can assure you that you will be in the best hands when you turn to us. You can find out what our current foster carers have to say about working with us by reading some of the testimonials on our website and if you’d like to speak to a member of our team, don’t hesitate to contact us today.
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