DUDLEY METROPOLITAN BOROUGH SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
FOSTERING AND SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES FROM 1ST APRIL 2010
SECTION 1 Basic Allowance
The weekly allowance at levels 1,2 and 3 is paid for each child in placement and is paid at a rate which is slightly higher than the amount recommended by Fostering Network At level 2 a fee is paid for each child in addition to the allowance. At level 3 a flat fee is paid plus a weekly allowance for each child in placement. In addition level 3 carers who care for more than 2 children will receive a top up fee that is equivalent to level 2 fee for each child above 2 placements. This fee will be paid for the youngest child/children in placement. Respite placements with level 3 carers also attract the top up fee if 2 children are already in placement. The top up fee will be paid at the appropriate rate for the ages of the children having respite.
Age of Child Weekly Amount Daily Rate £ £ Level 1 0 - 4 125.09 17.87 5 - 10 142.49 20.35 11 - 15 177.38 25.34 16 - 18 215.74 30.82
Level 2 0 - 4 125.09 17.87 5 - 10 142.49 20.35 11 - 15 177.38 25.34 16 - 18 215.74 30.82
Level 2 Fees 0 - 4 83.30 11.90 5 - 10 94.99 13.57 11 - 15 118.23 16.89 16 - 18 143.78 20.54
Level 3 0 - 4 125.09 17.87 5 - 10 142.49 20.35 11 - 15 177.38 25.34 16 - 18 215.74 30.82
Level 3 Fees Not Applicable 409.15 58.45
The allowance is intended to cover the child’s maintenance and to include pocket money, normal replacement of clothing, school dinners and normal leisure activities, e.g. scouts, brownies, swimming lessons etc. An initial placement allowance of £25 will be paid for unplanned or emergency placements to help with urgent purchases of clothes, equipment, food etc. The payment will not be recoverable from the fostering allowance, although it will be borne in mind if an initial clothing payment is needed.
SECTION 2 Day Care Rates
1 Up to and including 4 hours = 1/10th of the Fostering Allowance Over 4 - 24 hours = 1/7th of Fostering Allowance
Age of Child Weekly Rate Day Care Rate Level 1 Level 2 & 3 Day Care Day Care 0 - 4 125.09 1/10th 12.50 20.84 1/7th 17.87 29.77 5 - 10 142.49 1/10th 14.25 23.75 17th 20.35 33.92 11 - 15 177.38 1/10th 17.73 29.56 17th 25.34 42.23 16 - 18 215.74 1/10th 21.57 35.95 17th 30.82 51.36
Level 2 and Level 3 foster carers day care rates include a proportion of Level 2 fee based on 1/10th and 1/7th.
SECTION 3 Holiday Allowance
Age of Child Annual Amount Notes £ 0 - 4 250.18 Holiday allowance payments are paid with the 5 - 10 284.98 normal Fostering allowance once a year and are 11 - 15 354.76 based on two weeks fostering allowance as 16 - 18 431.48 recommended by the Fostering Network. If a child moves placement within a financial year and the holiday allowance has been used, a second allowance may be considered if the new carers are going on holiday or the allowance is to be used for activities and outings during the 6 week school holidays.
HOLIDAYS SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF SCHOOL TERM TIME. As a general rule day trips and school trips will be funded out of the fostering allowance. Trips involving the child being away from their carer and which incur substantial cost (eg: residential school trips, guide camps etc), will be considered as an Additional Needs Payment by application to the child’s social worker and the Principal Service Manager.
SECTION 4 Initial Clothing Payment and Equipment
Age of Child Amount Up To Notes £
2 0 - 4 158.91 Initial clothing payments are one off 5 – 10 191.47 discretionary payments depending on the needs 11 – 13 243.13 of the individual child. Figures shown are 14 – 18 283.40 maximum amounts and in most circumstances . only a percentage of the full amount will be paid. Initial clothing payments must be claimed within the first six months of placement. If an initial placement payment has been made this will be borne in mind when making clothing grants.
Equipment and payments for equipment such as pushchairs, beds and bedding can be provided where necessary at the discretion of the Service Manager (Fostering).
SECTION 5 School Uniform
Primary / Middle School A payment of up to the amount shown to assist Up to £88.68 if necessary towards the purchase of a school outfit for a child starting a new school, where a uniform Secondary School Is required. Up to £223.48 if necessary
SECTION 6 Birthday Grants and Festivity Grants
Age of Child Amount Notes £ 0 – 4 125.09 These payments are paid for all placements 5 – 10 142.49 providing the child is in the foster home at the 11 – 15 177.38 time concerned. 16 – 18 215.74 A birthday allowance, equal to the weekly fostering allowance, will be paid to carers.
The same amount will be paid as a festivity payment with the normal fostering allowance at the beginning of December each year, in time for Christmas. If carers wish to have this paid for an alternative religious festival, this can be arranged through the fostering team.
Birthday payments are paid on the child’s 18th birthday, but not beyond this, even though the
3 carers may be receiving other allowances for a limited period.
SECTION 7 Pocket Money
The new rates of pocket money paid to looked after children are as follows. The new rates are meant to used as a minimum amount for children and young people in foster care.
Pocket money should be provided from the age of 5 years, with appropriate judgements made about the need for supervision regarding spending. Saving will continue to form an element of the money that we provide to young people in care and foster carers are encouraged to also do this for children in their care.
Pocket Money Savings
Year 1 5/6 year old £2.00 + £1.00 Year 2 6/7 year old £2.00 + £1.00 Year 3 7/8 year old £3.00 + £1.00 Year 4 8/9 year old £3.00 + £1.00 Year 5 9/10 year old £4.00 + £1.00 Year 6 10/11 year old £4.00 + £1.00 Year 7 11/12 year old £5.00 + £1.00 Year 8 12/13 year old £7.00 + £1.00 Year 9 13/14 year old £8.00 + £2.00 Year 10 14/15 year old £10.00 + £2.00 Year 11 15/16 year old £12.00 + £2.00 Year 12 16/17 year old £10.00 + £10 personal allowance Year 13 17/18 year old £10.00 + £10 personal allowance
SECTION 8 Supplementation of Earnings for Young people no longer in Full Time education Amount Notes £155.33 (215.74 – 60.41) All young adults in receipt of finance either
4 through a salary, unemployment benefit or a sponsored training scheme are expected to make a contribution to the foster family towards their maintenance. The contribution will be 2/3rds of nett earning after tax, National Insurance, work expenses, pocket money and clothing allowance are deducted. However, no young person will be expected to pay more than £30.00 per week towards their maintenance regardless of earnings.
e.g. Basic nett earning (after tax and N.I) £90.00 Less work expenses £15.00 Less pocket money and clothing £60.41 allowance (10% and 18% of £14.59 NFCA Basic rate)
Therefore 2/3rds of £14.59 = £9.73 which is the amount of maintenance the young person pays to the carer.
Discretion can be exercised about the starting date for the maintenance payment. It would not normally be appropriate to deduct maintenance from the first two weeks of earning. The starting date should be discussed with the child’s social worker.
When a young person starts work form F23 should be completed by the district social worker, giving details of income and expenditure. It is the joint responsibility of the social worker and foster carer to notify Carer Payments as soon as possible when the young persons income or circumstances change. Occasional or irregular overtime is ignored.
Re-Assessments A statement of earnings form must be completed by the foster carer on behalf of the young person and returned to the Carer Payment section along with four payslips each quarter.
SECTION 9 Car Mileage = 35.9 p per mile
Provision is made within the basic fostering allowance to cover travel costs and the department cannot pay extra mileage costs for normal family transport, e.g. outings,
5 routine hospital appointments, local school etc. Where, however, the transport is the department’s responsibility, or due to the child’s particular needs, e.g. introductions to adopters, distant school, out of borough or very regular hospital treatment, mileage can be paid at the rate of 35.9p per mile or a bus pass can be provided. However, if carers are not in receipt of an allowance (e.g. the foster child is now at university or living in another part of the country) mileage can be paid for visits to the young person, while they are under 21, or still in education.
SECTION 10 Children with Disabilities in Foster Care.
All children with disabilities have special needs likely to need more intensive help by carers than would be normal. It is the social worker’s role to maximise the benefits the child receives and carers should receive these in addition to fostering allowances, so encouraging carers to support special needs children. These benefits include: Disabled Living Allowance (This has both a care and mobility component, the former is paid at three rates according to the level of care and the latter at two rates. Invalid Care Allowance (for carers caring for someone receiving Disabled Living Allowance). At 16 years old the young person with a disability becomes entitled to a number of benefits in addition to the above. These include: Severe Disablement Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Income Support and Income Support Premiums. Some of these rule out the entitlement to others and the worker will need to calculate which benefits maximise the allowances paid. The Benefit Shop, Dudley, can be contacted for advice.
Before the review prior to the 16th birthday, the social worker will need to discuss the financial support to the placement. Further discussion needs to take place before the 18th birthday. At 18 years old if carers are to continue to care for a disabled child contact will need to be made with both Family Placements and the Inspection Unit as the carer may need to register under the registered Homes (Amendment) Act 1991. This decision is an important one and adequate opportunities for discussion will need to take place with adult services for assessment for financial support. This is only paid where the user meets eligibility criteria and so cannot be guaranteed. If carers register under the registered Homes Amendment Act they cannot claim Housing Benefit. Young people receiving Housing Benefit are not supposed to receive care. A further source of funding for over 18’s is continued foster care payments under the Children Act section 24, where the
6 authority has a duty to “advise, befriend and assist” until the young person’s 21st birthday, or they finish full time education, whichever is later.
SECTION 11 Car Loan Scheme
It may be possible for carers to obtain a low interest loan for the purchase of a suitable vehicle. Detailed information about the eligibility criteria is available from the Fostering Service.
SECTION 12 Additional Needs Payments
Occasionally payments can be made to cover unusual items of expenditure, such as tools or equipment for work, or a training course, extra tuition, or a bus pass to travel to college. A grant may also be available for a young person leaving care and setting up home.
Additional placements needs can also be claimed for special requirements such as skin and hair care products for children from minority ethnic groups.
SECTION 13 Absences from the Foster Home
Where a child is absent from the foster home for periods of up to 48 hours in any one week (e.g. in hospital, having run away, at home, or on the respite care for children with disabilities scheme the full weekly fostering allowance will be payable to the foster carer. Relief care ( where a child is briefly moved to another foster home) may also be necessary either because of the child’s special needs, or because of the carer’s personal circumstances (such as a relatives illness); again, both carers would be paid if the relief care is up to 48 hours in any one week. In circumstances where longer periods away from the usual home are necessary but still involve expense (e.g. lengthy hospital treatment) continuation of the allowance, either in full or in part can be agreed.
SECTION 14 Fostering Payments for Post - 18 Support, or Payments for Students
Where a young person reaches 18 and remains within her/his foster home, and is in full time education or training, but not eligible for a student grant, a children’s review can recommend
7 that the fostering allowance continue.
8 Top Up Allowance for Level 3 Carers
Age of Child Weekly Amount Daily Amount
0 – 4 83.30 11.90
5 - 10 94.99 13.57
11-15 118.23 16.89
16-18 143.78 20.54
Based on Level 2 Fee for each child above 2 placements. The fee is paid to the youngest child/children in placement.
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