Both local authorities and fostering agencies like Wholistic share a common goal: to find stable, loving homes for children and young people in care. But how they go about that — and the experience for you as a foster carer — can vary.
At Wholistic, our approach is personal, therapeutic and highly supportive. We’re here not just to approve you as a foster carer but to walk alongside you, every step of the way, helping you feel valued, informed and confident.
Legally, local authorities are responsible for all looked-after children in their area. When they don’t have a suitable in-house carer available, they turn to IFAs like Wholistic to find the right match.
This partnership means you’ll often be caring for children who have more complex needs or are harder to place — and it’s why we offer a high level of training and support, so you can feel fully prepared and supported in your role.
Local authorities tend to place younger children with their in-house carers. As a fostering agency, we are often asked to care for:
That means we invest heavily in preparing you for this — and offer you the tools to thrive in these more demanding but incredibly rewarding placements.
At Wholistic, we offer specialist, high-quality training that goes beyond minimum requirements. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience, our pre-approval Tools to Foster course, mandatory training and a wide choice of optional courses help you feel confident and capable.
We offer:
You’ll never feel out of your depth — and you’ll always be growing.
One of the biggest differences you’ll notice with Wholistic is the level of support you receive. Our supervising social workers (SSWs) manage smaller caseloads than many local authority teams, so they can spend more time with you and your family.
You’ll benefit from:
"I know I can ring my social worker at any time. That one-to-one support is what makes all the difference."
— A Wholistic foster carer
At Wholistic, we offer generous fostering allowances in recognition of the incredible work our carers do. While exact payments vary by placement, we consistently offer higher financial support than many local authorities.
Your allowance is designed to cover the cost of caring for a child and provide a meaningful income for you and your family. While money isn’t the reason most people foster, we understand the importance of financial stability — and we’re proud to provide it.
Please note: Wholistic Fostering does not offer bridging payments during gaps in placements.
Alongside your allowance and support, we offer practical extras that make a real difference to your fostering journey, such as:
These may not always be available through local authorities.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — but if you’re looking for:
✅ Personalised, ongoing support
✅ In-depth training with flexible options
✅ A therapeutic, values-driven approach
✅ A strong sense of community
✅ Recognition of the challenges (and rewards) of fostering
… then Wholistic Fostering might be the right choice for you.
If you're unsure whether to foster through a local authority or with us, we’re happy to talk openly about the differences and help you decide what suits you best.
📞 Contact our team for a no-pressure chat — or fill in our quick enquiry form to request a callback.
Fostering changes lives — and we’d be honoured to support you as you begin that journey.
