So, you’re pretty sure that you want to foster. It’s something you have been thinking about for many years but always felt that the time wasn’t quite right for you..until now.
You’ve spent time typing different search terms into Google, each time book marking websites that provide useful information. You do as much research as possible about what fostering entails, the process, and whether you would be suitable to foster. You read up on everything you can find on fostering so you can be sure that it’s right for you before you start making any enquiries into becoming a foster carer.
But what stands out when you’ve researched into fostering, and what becomes confusing, is there seems to be lots of different fostering agencies to choose from, not to mention the option of your local council. Even when you type in ‘Fostering in Swansea’ the options can be overwhelming.
What’s difficult for someone with no knowledge of fostering, is they are all say pretty much the same thing on their websites ……they provide better support for their foster carers, they will provide better training, they will find the right match for their foster carers, and they pay their carers generously – more than what you get if you foster for your local authority (which isn’t true).
But what’s the real difference between the various fostering agencies and fostering for Foster Wales Swansea, and how do you decide who to foster with when there are so many options?
This is where independent fostering agencies don’t always give the whole picture of how fostering works. But we pride ourselves on being transparent, from the get-go.
Ultimately, anyone considering fostering should be armed with all the facts before they decide which fostering service to choose. It’s their right, especially when they are making such a big decision which will impact on their life (mainly in a positive way of course).
so, what information is important for people to be aware of when deciding who to foster with?
In Swansea, when it has been decided that a child or sibling group needs to be placed with a foster family, they are the responsibility of Swansea Council. The fostering team (Foster Wales Swansea) will then approach their own local authority foster carers – who have a spare vacancy – to discuss the child or sibling group with them.
Priority will always be given to those carers who we think would be a good match for the child or sibling group. Only when there are no available in-house foster carers, does the fostering team then approach independent fostering agencies to see if they have available and suitable foster carers.
In most cases, this is usually for older children, sibling groups, children with additional needs, and parent and child placements.
So, in reality, if you are only interested in fostering babies or children under the age of 11 years with no additional needs, then fostering for an agency will not suit your requirements, and it’s highly likely that you won’t be approached about a child of that age range.
To put this into context, out of the 141 children placed in foster care during 2023/2024, only 30 children were placed with independent fostering agency carers. Of these, 4 were part of parent and child placements, 14 were part of a sibling group, 5 were aged over 13 years and the remaining 7 were under 10 years but all had complex needs.
It’s also important to note that independent fostering agencies are largely businesses who profiteer from their foster carers. Simply, all local authority fostering services are not-for-profit whilst most fostering agencies are, with the exception of a handful who operate as charities or 3rd sector organisations.
To put it plainly, fostering agencies charge local authorities at least double what local authorities pay their own foster carers per week. However, the weekly fee charged by the fostering agencies aren’t passed onto their own foster carers, they are profits for their shareholders.
Despite what many people assume, in most cases, agency foster carers aren’t paid any more than local authority foster carers, especially in Swansea where the fees and allowances are amongst one of the highest in Wales.
Regardless, the main priority for Foster Wales Swansea is to find a child or sibling group a safe and loving foster family, regardless of whether the foster carers they live with foster for the local authority or a fostering agency.
“The process of transferring to Foster Wales Swansea was really easy. All I had to do was to complete the years between joining the private agency and when I signed up with Foster Wales Swansea. As nothing much had changed within my circumstances, the process was much quicker.”
Wendy Jenkins, Foster Carer
taking that all into considerations, what are the main benefits of fostering for foster wales swansea over an agency?
1. we don’t operate as a business, unlike many independent fostering agencies
We are a not-for-profit agency, unlike most of the independent fostering agencies. Many operate as businesses and make profits out of what they charge local authorities. However, agency foster carers don’t often get paid any more than our foster carers. In many cases, we actually pay our carers more. If an agency foster carer wishes to transfer over to us but gets paid more with their agency, we will match the pay they currently receive.
“We wanted to foster for a not-for-profit organisation and keep local children within their local area.”
Paul and Sharron Hammond, Foster Carers
2. we have legal responsibility for the swansea children in foster care
Swansea children are the responsibility of Swansea Council, so our foster carers are always approached first whenever we need to place a child. Only when children can’t be placed with our own foster carers, do we need to approach independent fostering agencies, which tend to be for teenagers, large sibling groups, children with additional needs, and parent and child placements.
3. the children are local to you
When you foster for us, the children are local so it’s highly likely that you will only have to transport within the county of Swansea. School, family time and meetings will all happen local to you.
If you foster for an agency, you could end being matched with a child from anywhere in Wales, which could result in spending a lot of time transporting the child to school, activities, or family time which could be located in neighbouring local authorities or even further afield.
“We think it’s really important to keep children local to their area.”
Paul & Sharron Hammond, Foster Carers
4. you can help to keep the children local to everything they know
For foster children, staying local to their school, friends, family and community is so important to them; it means the world to them. By fostering with Foster Wales Swansea, you can help lessen the disruption that they’ve already experienced in their lives.
5. you become part of the ‘team around the child’
The social workers for both the children and foster carers, as well as many other professionals, work extremely close together. Why? Because most of them work in the same building and in same department for Swansea Council. When you foster with Foster Wales Swansea, the child’s social worker, the fostering social worker and foster carers are all part of the same organisation. With the professionals working in the same office, accessing the same computer systems and information, communication is much easier and regular. What’s crucial is that up-to-date information can flow freely between everyone involved. It’s very much a team around the child approach which results in better outcomes for children.
”Fostering with the local authority has been great. The information we receive is direct, and we love getting answers straight from the source. We also get more detailed information about the children we’re fostering, which makes a huge difference.”
Bev Jones, Foster Carer
6. we know the children and their families; we know their story!
As every Swansea child is our legal responsibility, we have teams who are involved in making plans for the child, their family, and their school. Foster carers will work directly with these teams. We know the child; we know their whole story; we share it with our foster carers.
”Planning a sleepover for a child used to feel like jumping through endless hoops. With the commercial agency, it was a constant back-and-forth. But with the local authority, things are so much smoother. I get quick, clear answers, and the process feels so much more efficient.“
Sharon Oliver, Foster Carer
7. for us, it’s about getting the matching right
We place high importance on finding the right match, for both the children and foster families.
Our in-depth knowledge of the children, as well as knowing our foster families extremely well, means we have the ability to exercise best matching.
As the first port of call for all children needing foster care, we are more likely to have an age range and type of fostering to suit your lifestyle and family dynamic. We will get to know you and your family really well. We match children to suit your skills, your lifestyle and your home – including your own children. Because we know, when we get the matching right, fostering can be successful for you, your family and our children.
8. what we pay our foster carers is competitive – you won’t necessarily get any more by fostering with an agency
The fees and allowances we pay our foster carers are above the minimum rates set by Welsh Government. Whilst many independent fostering agencies suggest they pay more than local authorities, this isn’t often the case in Swansea. How do we know? Because over the past two years, we’ve seen a surge in enquires from agency carers and when we have revealed what we pay our foster carers, they have revealed that they get paid slightly less. If an agency carer wishes to transfer over to Foster Wales Swansea, and they happen to get paid more with their agency, then we will match their pay.
- We provide our foster carers with a weekly retainer payment if they ever have period when a child isn’t placed with them – though it’s not very often that our carers are vacant unless they are on hold
- We offer additional payments towards children’s birthdays, Christmas, holidays, and religious festivals.
- We recognise the power of word-of-mouth recommendations. Foster carers can be the most effective source of recruitment and so our foster carers can earn up to £500 for every person they recommend to foster.
- We renumerate our foster carers if they support our marketing campaigns or help out at recruitment events.
9. you’ll get expertise and experience with foster wales swansea
Many of the team have worked in Foster Wales Swansea for many years so you’ll have direct access to our expertise of fostering, as well as our in-depth knowledge of the local area and the services and organisations that are available for foster carers to access, either for themselves or for the children they look after. Importantly, most have previously worked in child protection so they have a great understanding of the whole process.
”I’ve received support when I’ve I needed it, and the team at Foster Wales Swansea have never failed to show up for me. It feels like I’m part of a team that truly cares about the wellbeing of both the children and me as a foster carer.”
Sharon Oliver, Foster Carer
10. we are the largest fostering community in swansea
We are the largest fostering community in Swansea with 123 fostering households. That means there are lots of foster carers available to support you in your local area. Unlike independent fostering agencies, they are not dotted all across Wales. It means you will never be alone.
11. you’ll receive support from other foster carers, they will never be far away
We can buddy you up with more experienced carers who will be on hand to offer advice and support whenever you need it – whether that’s when you are newly approved or even have years of experience behind you.
From formal peer support groups to coffee catch-ups with other foster carers – foster carers can support each other.
Whilst family and friends can be a great support, they won’t truly understand what you’re going through whilst other foster carers ‘get it’ without any explanation required.
12. we pride ourselves on the support package we offer
We provide what we think it extensive support, not just for foster carers but for the whole family. You’ll get 24/7 support, so you never feel alone.
- You’ll have your own dedicated supervising social worker
- You’ll have your own dedicated support worker
- We provide several support groups – there is a monthly support group for foster carers, a support group for men who foster, a group for children of foster carers, a group for foster carers who specifically care for children with additional learning needs, and also localised support groups
- Weekly coffee mornings are provided
- Monthly 1-2-1s are available with management
- We organise family events throughout the year
- Activities are organised for children during the school holidays (foster children and carers own children)
- Foster carers can access discounts on cultural and leisure services
- We have access to the Internal Therapy Team
- We celebrate foster carer milestones
- We organise a foster carer appreciation event
“The benefits of being with Foster Wales Swansea are the children are local, there are lots of training opportunities, the support groups are local, and we are provided with regular and up-to-date information.”
Wendy Jenkins, Foster Carer
13. we can offer you support from local foster carers should you ever need a break
We understand that fostering isn’t always plain-sailing and sometimes it brings challenges. Sometimes, carers may need to take a break to recharge their batteries, or sometimes a foster child might benefit from regular respite. A little support from another foster carer can make all the difference. Fortunately, we have respite foster carers who just offer these short breaks for other foster carers. You’ll get the know them and they can get to know the children.
14. we invest in our foster carers so they have the chance to develop
We have a wide range of core and specialist training courses available for our foster carers.
We have also an adopted a flexible approach to learning and development for our foster carers so learning is now recognised in the form of documentaries, podcasts, books, articles and much more.
15. we offer flexible fostering options to suit all lifestyles and experience
We recognise that everyone’s circumstances are different. Some work full time, others part-time, others are in the position to foster full time. That’s why there is flexibility with the type of fostering you can provide. You can start by offering regular weekend visits and school holidays – dip your toes in so to speak!
You may decide this suits your lifestyle perfectly, or after a while, you may decide that you want to foster on a more full-time basis. That’s the beauty of fostering with us. You simply go back to panel for a change of approval.
You don’t have to give up your career and financial income – you can continue to work and foster if that suits you better.
16. we believe communication is key
We believe that providing our foster carers with a high level of communication is crucial whether that’s in the form of a text, email, newsletter, Facebook group, face-to-face, video call, or via telephone.
Our foster carers will always be able to speak to someone from their team because they will have access to the contact details for:
- Their supervising social worker
- Their allocated support worker
- Duty – there is a member of staff on duty throughout the week
- Carer support line – a member of staff is available in the evenings and on weekends
- Emergency duty team – a member of staff is available outside of normal hours (during the night/early morning) and weekends
- Business Development Officer
”Whenever we need support, Foster Wales Swansea is always just a phone call away, ready to help.“
Jackie Howells, Foster Carer
17. we genuinely listen to our foster carers
We give them a voice, so they feel heard. Ultimately, they are the ones who are caring for the children. They know what the challenges are, and they are advocates for the children.
Every year, we consult with foster carers on every aspect of the service so we can find out what we’re doing well and what we need to improve on. Working in co-production with our foster carers, we constantly look at ways on how to develop the service in accordance to the feedback that our foster carers have provided us with.
are you an agency foster carer?
If you are an agency foster carer, live in Swansea, and are thinking about transferring over to Foster Wales Swansea, we will make the transfer process as smooth as possible.
- You won’t have to attend Skills to Foster training
- We will fast track your transfer
- We will match the pay you currently receive from your agency (if higher).*
- Only children from Swansea will be placed with you
Don’t delay, transfer over to us and reap all the benefits of fostering for your local authority. You’ll be part of a team around the child where we put them first, not profit.
*This will occur if you currently receive a higher payment than you would with Foster Wales Swansea and will continue until the child/ren currently in your care leave.
“I feel transferring over to Foster Wales Swansea has been one of the best things I’ve done. I wished I had done it sooner. I have met so many wonderful children with wonderful characters and they’ve brought so much joy into my home. I have been fortunate to have a fantastic supervising social worker, who has provided me with the right level of support needed.”
Wendy Jenkins, Foster Carer
be part of the change in wales
Foster care in Wales is changing.
Welsh Government has pledged to eliminate profit from the future of children’s care.
In February 2025, a law was passed by the Senedd, which prohibits private profit in children’s residential and foster care.
Care for looked after children will only be provided by the public sector, charitable or not-for-profit organisations in the future.
This will ensure that money going into the system is reinvested into children’s welfare, rather than taken as profit for shareholders.
“We have not regretted transferring to our local authority and would recommend all local Independent Fostering Agency foster carers to think about joining us.”
Paul & Sharron Hammond, Foster Carers
join foster wales
Local authorities are working together in Wales to share best practise and bring consistency to all local authority foster carers in Wales. That is being done by listening to our foster carers and working in co-production to help shape the future.
For a better future, better outcomes for children and foster carers – have your voice heard. Be part of the solution and let’s make it better together.
interested in fostering with foster wales swansea?
Whether you are interested in fostering or you’re an agency foster carer and interested in transferring over to Foster Wales Swansea, contact us today for an informal chat.
