£700,000 new investment in fostering fees

A new fairer payment structure for foster carers, which focuses on the needs of children and young people has been agreed by Norfolk County Council's Cabinet.

It will mean investing an additional £700,000 a year to pay higher fostering fees to carers who look after children with the highest needs. It will also increase fees for those who look after more than one child.

The change would make Norfolk fostering fees among the highest paid to carers across England and Wales and replace a system that has been in place for 30 years.

Cllr John Fisher, Cabinet Member for Children's Services said: "Foster carers do tremendous work and we are hugely grateful for the contribution they make to the lives of children in care in Norfolk.

"There are two key principles at the heart of this change - to ensure the majority of our children experience the best family-based care possible, and to ensure a fair and equitable payment system for our foster carers.

"We want to recognise those foster carers who looked after children with the greatest needs, as well as invest in training and support for all of our carers."

Currently there are children living in residential children's homes who could be looked after in foster families, with the right support. The council wants to support more carers to look after these children, as well as keep siblings together more often, through the additional funding and support.

The changes will come into effect for new foster carers from April. Existing carers' rates will continue to be funded at the current rates for 18 months, so the council can work with individual carers to plan for the future.

Some carers could see their allowances reduce under these proposals, but the council has pledged to work with each carer to ensure they are not disadvantaged.

Norfolk has 368 approved fostering households who are approved to care for over 700 children.

Under the new proposals, minimum foster care payments will rise from £200 per week to approximately £375-£425 per week and maximum payments will rise from £550 per week to approx. £800-£900 per week.

Children and young people with higher needs include those with complex disabilities, young people who are looked after within New Roads Hubs (children's homes) and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Young People. It also includes those who need to be looked after in an emergency - often out of hours and with limited information about their needs, including those being held in custody (placements known as PACE beds). It also includes adolescents where an existing placement has broken down.