Issue - meetings

Fostering Fees and Allowance Policy 2025

 

 

Meeting: 14/01/2025 - Cabinet (Item 5)

5 Fostering Fees and Allowance Policy 2025 pdf icon PDF 151 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report set out information about the updated Fostering Fees and Allowance Policy 2025 for Medway Foster Carers and asked the Cabinet to agree the updated Policy.

The report explained that the Medway Fostering Service continued to be a much-needed service provision in relation to children and young people who needed to be cared for by Medway Children’s Service. The Policy had not been renewed in its entirety since 2021.

The Fostering Service was seeking to use the Policy change, alongside wider practice and organisational change to increase sufficiency of foster placements by recruiting new carers and supported homes hosts as well as retaining those currently registered with Medway.

 

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the Policy, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

 

Decision

number:

 

Decision:

 

1/2025

The Cabinet approved the proposed changes to the Fostering Service Fee and Allowance Policy at Appendix 1 to the report, notable highlights as summarised below:

·     A scheme based on a defined maintenance element to meet the child’s needs, and a separate reward fee based on a child’s age and needs in the form of a tiered structure.

·     An entitlement to 16 days paid leave for foster carers with children in the fostering home, or up to 24 days respite for foster carers approved for children with disabilities.

·     Continuation of an annual skills and services payment based on length of service.

·     An annual council tax contribution of £600 per household.

·     An hourly rate of £11.94 per hour for providing support to the fostering service.

·     Reduction in the threshold for paying milage to carers from 700 miles per month to 200 miles per month.

Reasons:

The fostering service is operating within a fiercely competitive sector. There are as many children in care placed in Medway by other local authorities with independent fostering agencies as there are Medway Children in Care. Independent fostering agencies are actively recruiting in our area.

There is a national shortage of foster carers, with an estimated need for 10,000 foster carers. As at 31 March there were 86,630 children in care nationally, compared to 75,360 on the same date in 2017. The demand has increased exponentially.

This policy seeks to redress that balance in favour of Medway offering a more attractive package of weekly remuneration, both maintenance and reward elements, in addition to the improved additional offer.

Medway Council Fostering Service has undertaken a benchmarking exercise and sought feedback from Medway’s own foster carers. Medway Council Fostering Service does offer added value and the opportunity for Medway families to care for Medway children.

As part of the review of the ‘offer’ to Foster Carers, consideration has been given to all areas of the Foster Carer payment package. The new policy has taken account of foster carers wishes, and where possible these have been listened to.