Appendix 2
SOUTH AYRSHIRE HEALTH AND
SOCIAL CARE PARTNERSHIP
FOSTER CARE ALLOWANCES
2016-17
POLICY AND GUIDANCE ON PAYMENTS OF FEES AND ALLOWANCES TO FOSTER
CARERS FOR THE YEAR 2016-17
1. Policy
The aim of this policy is to ensure that Foster Carers in South Ayrshire are paid sufficient
allowance and agreed expenses to ensure good quality care for each child or young person in
placement. Allowances and fees are reviewed annually.
2. Guidance
Payments to foster carers comprise of two elements:


Maintenance allowance for the child
Fee for foster carer
a. The maintenance allowance is based on the national minimum fostering allowances which
are set at a level to cover the full cost to the foster carer of caring for an individual child.
b. The fee for the foster carer is intended as a reward or remuneration to reflect, in part, the
skills of and time used by the foster carer. This has been revised to allow for a more realistic
allocation of fees, resulting in a more equal distribution across age bands.
Standard Fee Table (proposed)
Age Range
0-10yrs
11-15yrs
16-18yrs
Weekly Payment
£320.00
£350.00
£380.00
Foster Care Fee
£173.00
£173.00
£173.00
Maintenance Allowance
£147.00
£177.00
£207.00
Foster Carer Fee
£203.00
£223.00
£223.00
Maintenance Allowance
£147.00
£177.00
£207.00
Enhanced Placement Table (proposed)
Age Range
0-10yrs
11-15yrs
16 - 18
Weekly Payment
£350.00
£400.00
£430.00
The enhanced foster carer fee reflects the skills required and also the additional time and physical care
required for this group of young people.
1. Breakdown of maintenance allowances
The following represents an estimate of approximate costs of caring for a child/ young person.
Age Range
0-10yrs % age
0-10yrs
11-15yrs % age
Food
31%
£45.57
29%
Clothing
22%
£32.34
26%
Transport
8%
£11.76
7%
Personal
9%
£13.23
11%
Household
30%
£44.10
27%
Total
£147.00
11-15yrs
16-18yrs % age
16–18yrs
£51.33
29%
£60.03
£46.02
26%
£53.82
£12.39
11%
£22.77
£19.47
13%
£26.91
£47.79
21%
£43.47
£177.00
£207.00
a. Transport
This amount is to cover all direct transport arrangements for the child, such as travel to and from
school or social/leisure activities. It will also cover reasonable transport costs associated with
contact, school outings, visits and court attendance.
b. Household
This represents the young person’s share of:
 The accommodation provided
 Property, furniture and equipment maintenance costs
 The cost of utilities and other expenses associated with the house
c. Personal Allowances
This allowance is designed to meet a variety of personal needs, as well as cover pocket money
and savings. It may be used for the older age group to cover, for instance, the cost of hair care
products, phone cards or personal telephone calls. For the younger children is may used to cover
the cost of leisure activities such as swimming or dancing lessons, learning a musical instrument,
magazine subscriptions etc.
Many households will want to supply personal care items (shampoo, deodorant, shaving gear) as
part of the weekly `shop` or from the general housekeeping pool. There needs to be some
discussion at the outset of a placement about how much of the personal allowance element
should be spent by the carer and how much given to the child or young person in the form of
pocket money.
d. Pocket Money
There are two basic principles, which apply to pocket money:
o There needs to be some measure of equality between children within the foster household.
Therefore, carers need to take into account the pocket money paid to other children in the
household.
o The pocket money should be realistic depending on the age of the child. Children can be
encouraged to `save` their pocket money to buy special items as well as for treats such as
sweets, CDs, or games. In any event, the pocket money should not exceed the personal
allowance.
e. Savings
The issue of savings is of paramount importance and as such the Scottish Government, in
partnership with The Share Foundation, has set up Junior ISA’s for all accommodated children
and young people.
Each child will receive an initial payment of £200 from the Scottish Government and the
expectation is that carers will use part of their allowance and make regular contributions to the
child’s ISA. For those children who are in placement for a matter of weeks or days, a cash sum
equivalent of £10 a week should go with them when they leave the placement. The money saved
in that account is for the future needs of the child or young person, when they move onto
independence or leave care to return to their birth family.
Further information is available is available from the Family Placement and Adoption Service.
Savings will be reviewed formally at each foster carer review (South Ayrshire Council may choose
to raise the matter at the child’s own review).
All payments must be agreed by the Children and Families Manager
Payment Type
Amount
Qualifying Conditions
Main Foster Care Weekly rate:
Once Finance has been
Allowance
0-10yrs
£320.00 given relevant details, and
11-15yrs £350.00 placement begins, the
16+
£380.00 foster care allowance is
paid fortnightly.
Foster Care
Weekly rate:
Any child with special
Allowance –
0-10yrs
£350.00 needs (i.e., learning and/ or
Enhanced
11-15yrs £400.00 physical disabilities or
Placement
16+
£430.00 other diagnosed conditions
Allowance
and specialist health
needs).
This has to be agreed by
Children and Families
Manager and will be
subject to review.
Birthday
Set amount:
Paid to fund gift(s) for child
Allowance
0-10yrs
£100.00 whose birthday falls within
11-18yrs £150.00 the period of the
placement.
Christmas or
Set amount:
Paid to fund gift(s) for child
Festival
0-10yrs
£100.00 where the child is in place
Allowance
11-18yrs £150.00 over the Christmas or
alternative religious
festival. Only one
allowance will be paid per
financial year.
Holidays
Summer Allowance: This allowance is paid to
£50.00 per week per assist with the cost of the
child for six weeks
summer holidays, whether
taken away from home or
not.
Special Note
Parent and child: These
rates apply to the ages of
both parent and child.
Parent and child: Special
Needs rate only applies to
the parent or the child with
special needs.
Carers are encouraged to
take their foster child on
holiday and this may require
budget planning on the
carers part as this allowance
is not payable other that the
time stated.
Respite Care
Payment Rate:
Respite Carer: 100%
of main foster care
allowance
Main Carer: 50% of
main foster care
allowance
Start Up Costs
Allowance
Up to £400
Long Service
Award
£250
Babysitting Fees
Up to £25 per week
Mileage – 34p per
mile on travel over
100 miles per
month.
Parking (with
receipts) – up to £10
per day. Public
Transport – excess
over £9 per day per
carer
Foster Carer
One-off payment of
Recommendation £250
Carers providing core
placements will receive
two weeks respite.
Carers providing enhanced
placements will receive
three weeks respite.
Carers can request
additional respite;
however, no allowances
will be available.
Only in exceptional
circumstances will respite
be available to carers
providing placements for
children under 5yrs.
Discretionary amount up to
a maximum of £400 which
may be paid only once for
new placements to cover
extra food for special
dietary needs, clothing,
uniform or special
equipment costs where
these are deemed
necessary.
This is payable to the
carer/ household after ten
years’ service with South
Ayrshire Council.
This applies only when
agreed that babysitting is
necessary.
Travel Costs
Relating to
Training
This is payable to a South
Ayrshire foster carer who
has introduced a new
foster carer to South
Ayrshire Council and that
new carer has been
successfully approved by
South Ayrshire Council’s
Panel.