Fees & Allowances

Fees

The Fostering Foundation pays you an inclusive base fee for each child in your care. It is the same for all children and is currently £392.50 per child, per week*. The allowance can rise to as much as £600 per week for more specialist placements. The allowance includes an element of £14.50* per week to cover two weeks’ paid annual respite.

From the base fee you are expected to budget and pay for:

A weekly clothing allowance for the child.
Their pocket money.
Local travelling costs, e.g. trips to and from school, into town, to the doctor and so forth.
Birthday and Christmas presents.
Routine medications, medical treatment, dental treatment and examinations.
Day to day food and general living costs for the child, including the cost of school lunches.
Holiday costs, where the child goes on holiday with you.

All this is designed to be as much like the normal situation of a birth parent and child, and the birth parent’s financial responsibility to their own children.

The fee is paid monthly in arrears, usually by direct credit into your bank account.

Negotiable Fees And Allowances

The fee does not include the following items, payment for which is negotiated by The Fostering Foundation with the placing authority on an individual basis:

An initial sum for clothing, where this is needed, (including any new school uniform).
Optical, dental or other medical charges or items other than standard charges (e.g. charges for the frames for new glasses, cosmetic dental work etc).
Special (and expensive) dietary requirements
Additional travel and transport costs for long and irregular journeys.
Exceptional holiday expenses.