Foster carer fees and allowances

Your foster child may temporarily be away from your home during placement because they are staying with:

• A new carer or adoptive parent as part of a planned introduction or assessment
• Family members for extended family time

They might also leave your home temporarily because:

• You need to take a break from caring during a placement, and they go into respite care
• You are seriously ill, and unable to provide foster care
• They are admitted to hospital

Child staying with family or significant others

If you are not caring for your foster child full-time because they are staying with family or significant others, you will get paid:

• Your full basic maintenance allowance, and
• Your full placement fee

This payment will need to be authorised by the fostering team manager and responsible budget officer. It will be reviewed every four weeks.

Child away in respite care

While your foster child is away in respite care you will get paid:

• Your fee for the placement, and
• 25% of your basic maintenance allowance for the placement

This will be for a maximum of two weeks at a time. You will not get paid for longer than two weeks unless this has been agreed in the placement plan and authorised by the Head of Fostering.

Child in hospital

If your foster child is temporarily away from your home because they have been admitted to hospital:

• You will get paid your full basic maintenance allowance and placement fee for four weeks after the child is admitted to hospital
• You may continue to be paid after the first four weeks. This will need to be approved by the Assistant Director of Corporate Parenting.

You cannot provide care due to ill health

If a foster child is temporarily away from your home because you are seriously ill and cannot care for them:

• You will get paid your full basic maintenance allowance and placement fee for two weeks after the child leaves your home
• After the first two weeks, your basic maintenance allowance and placement fee will stop. You will then get paid a £250 per week retainer for two weeks.