As an employee of Local Authority Fostering South East (LAFSE) and Bracknell Forest Council’s fostering team, I’ve had a front-row seat to its impact. I’ve seen how it’s helped us reach more potential foster carers, strengthened the work we do locally, and genuinely improved the experience for vulnerable children across the South East. I’m grateful to be part of it.
For anyone unfamiliar, LAFSE is a collaborative hub of 17 local authorities, all working towards one shared goal: find more foster carers. A simple idea, but one that’s already making a real difference.
Here are some of the benefits I’ve seen first‑hand.
A mass of experience and ideas
Seventeen local authorities bring a huge mix of professionals into one space: recruiters, marketeers, social workers, managers, enquiry officers and more. Each authority has its strengths, but together they form a genuine hive of shared knowledge.
It’s become a space where people can be honest about what works, what doesn’t, and what’s worth trying. It really is like having the best bits of 17 fostering services in one place.
Big ideas… but also the small ones that matter
We’ve had the big ideas, joint campaigns, regional events, shared messaging, collaborative projects. But some of the most effective changes have been the smaller ones: a simple tweak to the enquiry call, a new way of engaging internal staff, a fresh idea for social media copy.
They’re the kinds of things that seem obvious once someone mentions them, but they make a real difference. And when those small ideas get shared across 17 authorities, the impact multiplies.
Practical technical learning
One of the early benefits was the series of workshops arranged across LAFSE. These covered best practice in social media, paid advertising, analytics, and other digital tools.
They were practical, cost‑effective, and immediately useful, especially for teams without access to expensive external support. It helped us sharpen our digital approach quickly and consistently.
Making use of LAFSE’s shared resources
Another huge help has been the shared resources across the partnership. Whether it’s LAFSE staff taking enquiry calls or sharing marketing assets during busy periods, the support has been invaluable.
It’s reassuring to know that even when teams are stretched, enquiries won’t be missed and recruitment can keep moving.
A boost to local recruitment that wouldn’t have happened alone
For me, the biggest outcome has been the direct improvement in foster carer recruitment at a local level. Since working together, we’ve seen:
- better‑quality enquiries
- more targeted messaging
- consistent branding
- higher engagement at events
- quicker learning across teams
- smarter, more informed marketing
This simply wouldn’t have happened if each authority was working alone. Instead of repeating the same mistakes separately, we learn once, and everyone benefits.
A shared purpose
What stands out most is the shared commitment across all 17 authorities:
finding safe, loving, local homes for children who need them.
Even though we come from different councils, the direction is the same. It feels coordinated and purposeful.
Working within LAFSE has been a reminder that fostering isn’t just a local responsibility – it’s regional, a community one and a human one.
Interested in becoming a foster carer?
Get in touch with our experienced, friendly recruitment team to find out more about becoming a local authority foster carer in the South East.