Can I choose a fostering agency based outside my local authority?

Yes. In England, you are generally free to apply to a registered independent fostering agency even if its main office is outside your local authority area. The important issue is whether the agency is registered to provide fostering services and can undertake your assessment, arrange the required preparation and training, and provide suitable support where you live.

An agency’s office address is not the same as its fostering service area. Some agencies support carers across several local authority regions through regional staff, home visits, online contact and training venues. Before applying, ask how the agency manages these arrangements in practice rather than assuming that a nearby office is essential.

There are several points to check when comparing an agency based outside your local authority:

• Assessment arrangements: Find out who would complete your fostering assessment, how often you would meet, and whether visits would take place in your home. The assessment needs to consider your household, circumstances, experience, health, accommodation and ability to care for a child.
• Local support: Ask how supervision, support visits and face-to-face meetings are provided in your area. You should understand who your supervising social worker would be and how the agency would help you deal with everyday fostering issues.
• Training: Check where required pre-approval training is delivered and how ongoing training is arranged. Training should prepare you for safeguarding, child development, trauma, behaviour, relationships with birth families and working with professionals.
• Local authority relationships: Ask which local authorities the agency regularly works with and how it receives information about children needing placements. A good working relationship can help the agency understand local procedures and present suitable placement information to you.
• Placement practicalities: Discuss the kinds of placements the agency may consider for your household, including age ranges, sibling groups, contact arrangements and travel to school or appointments. You should be able to consider whether a proposed placement is realistic for your family.
• Allowances and financial information: Ask for a clear explanation of fostering allowances, any fees or other payments, how payments are affected by placement circumstances, and what financial guidance is available. Rates and arrangements can differ, so do not rely on general figures from another agency.
• Out-of-area placements: Find out how the agency handles placements involving a child’s school, family contact, health appointments and meetings with the placing authority. These responsibilities may involve travel and coordination between several professionals.

Your local authority still has an important role even when you foster through an independent agency. It may be the authority responsible for the child’s care plan and placement, while the fostering agency is responsible for assessing and supporting you as an approved foster carer. The two organisations need to share relevant information and work together, but choosing an agency does not mean that every placement will come from the authority where you live.

The application process normally includes an initial discussion, an assessment of your suitability, statutory checks and references, a medical assessment, household and home safety checks, and preparation training. The agency then considers the completed assessment through its approval process. You should ask how your household members will be involved and what information you will need to provide before deciding whether to proceed.

It is also sensible to ask what happens if you later want to change agency or if your circumstances change. Ask about the process for raising concerns, making a complaint, reviewing decisions and transferring your approval. These policies should be explained clearly before you commit to an application.

Choosing an agency outside your local authority can therefore be suitable, but the decision should be based on the quality and accessibility of its service rather than its registered office alone. Compare how it assesses and trains carers, works with local authorities, provides supervision, explains financial arrangements and supports placements in your community. You can then choose an agency whose arrangements fit your household and the type of fostering you are considering.