Decision details

Annual Review of fostering and related allowances

The Cabinet Member agrees

(1) Increase in fostering age related allowances and permanence allowances in line with Fostering Network recommendations as set out in the report;

(2) No change in fostering fees, savings rates for children in care, or supported lodgings as set out in the report;

(3) To note the current level of care leavers maintenance which is linked to Job Seekers Allowance as set out in the report.

The Council has duties in statute, regulations and guidance to act as a Corporate Parent and provide placements for children in its care, to promote adoption, special guardianship and residence orders as forms of permanence and to maintain and support young people moving on from care to adulthood. The proposal in this report ensures that basic living costs for these vulnerable children and young people continue to be met by the Council acting as Corporate Parent.

(1) A revised local scheme of fees and allowances for foster carers was introduced in April 2005. Our age related allowances since 2005 have been based on the Fostering Network recommended rates and thus cover the full direct and additional costs of looking after a child in foster care. This was based on the Council’s commitment to meet the full cost of looking after children for whom we are the Corporate Parent.  Foster carers face day to day costs which increase or decrease in line with inflation, and this is taken into account by the Fostering Network in making its recommendation. Reducing or freezing allowances for Bath and North East Somerset carers against the Fostering Network recommendation would depart from the Council’s 2005 commitment to cover the full costs to foster carers of looking after children and effectively ask carers to subsidise these costs. This option would risk significant damage to the progress being made in recruiting and retaining local carers.

(2) The scheme of fees introduced in 2005 recognises the skills of foster carers. These fees have been increased each year in line with local authority wage and salary increases, apart from 2006 when there was no change. It is not necessary or right to increase these fees in the context of a wage and salary freeze.